Australian Capital Territory

Children and Young People (Children and
Youth Services Council) Appointment 2013
(No 1)

Disallowable instrument DI2013–262

made under the

Children and Young People Act 2008 Part 2.2 – Children and Youth Services Council, subsections 30(1) (Appointment of council members) and 31(1) (Appointment of chair and deputy)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Part 2.2 of the Children and Young People Act 2008 (the Act) allows the Minister to appoint members to the Children and Youth Services Council including the appointment of a Chair and Deputy Chair. The Council consists of at least 5 and not more than 10 members. The Minister has undertaken all relevant steps to comply with the Act.

This Disallowable Instrument appoints the following people to the Children and Youth Services Council under sections 30 and 31 of the Act for a period of one year commencing on the day after notification.

Chair Mrs Narelle Hargreaves OAM

Deputy Chair Ms Maree Brown

Member Ms Karen Fisher

Member Ms Patricia Keller OAM

Member Ms Lee Maiden

Member Ms Mei Shi (Diana) Ni

Member Ms Beverly Orr OAM

Sections 29 and 30(1) of the Act state that membership should comprise at least 5 and up to 10 members who have expertise in relation to services for children and young people. The members listed above meet this criteria. In addition, section 30(2) of the Act requires that at least one member of the Council represent the interests of specific groups. These interests will be represented primarily by the following Council members:

Kinship and Foster Carers 		Ms Bev Orr OAM / Ms Maree Brown

Children 				Ms Patricia Keller OAM / Ms Karen Fisher / 
Ms Lee Maiden / Mrs Narelle Hargreaves OAM

Young People 			Mrs Narelle Hargreaves OAM / Ms Mei Shi Ni

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
					Ms Maree Brown

Section 31(1) of the Act requires the appointment of a Chair and Deputy Chair for the Council. This is as follows:

Chair 					Mrs Narelle Hargreaves OAM

Deputy Chair 			Ms Maree Brown

As per section 31(2) of the Act, the Chair (and Deputy Chair when acting as Chair) is remunerated as determined by the ACT Remuneration Tribunal, Determination 9 of 2012. Other members are provided with an allowance. Members who are ACT Government employees are not entitled to the allowance. Ms Keller and Ms Fisher are ACT Government employees.

This Instrument makes an appointment to which the Legislation Act 2001, Division 19.3.3 applies. Accordingly, under the Legislation Act 2001, s229 the Instrument is a Disallowable Instrument.

Division 19.3.3 section 228 of the Legislation Act 2001 requires that appointments to statutory positions made by the Minister only be made after consultation with a Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly. On 16 September 2013, the Standing Committee on Education, Training and Young People Chair noted the information about the recommended appointments and offered no specific recommendation about the appointments to the Council.

This Instrument is necessary to provide the appointees with statutory authority to perform the duties of the Children and Youth Services Council under the Children and Young People Act 2008.