Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Disability and Social Services Regulation Amendment Bill 2023

Introduction and first reading

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Suburban Development) (12:07): I move:

That I introduce a bill for an act to amend the Disability Act 2006 in relation to the Secretary’s functions, the sharing of information, residential services, restrictive practices, compulsory treatment and other related matters, to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 in relation to SDA enrolled dwellings, to amend the Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018 in relation to registration requirements, to amend the Social Services Regulation Act 2021 in relation to interviews and hearings for WCES service users, powers of entry and other related matters, to make consequential amendments to other acts and for other purposes.

Motion agreed to.

Tim BULL (Gippsland East) (12:07): Although the explanation was quite significant, I ask the minister if she has any further detail on the bill.

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Suburban Development) (12:08): The bill reintroduces substantially the same amendments proposed in the Disability Amendment Bill 2022 with minor and technical amendments as well as time-critical amendments to the Social Services Regulation Act 2021 to improve the regulator’s ability to monitor compliance in certain accommodation settings, strengthen protections for vulnerable service users and support the effective operation of the new regulatory framework commencing on 1 July 2024.

Read first time.

Ordered to be read second time tomorrow.