Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Disability and Social Services Regulation Amendment Bill 2023

Second reading

Debate resumed on motion of Ros Spence:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Tim BULL (Gippsland East) (12:56): I will make a few short comments on this bill before we adjourn for lunch. As we know, this legislation is very similar to what we saw come into the chamber last year, and that legislation lapsed with the end of that Parliament. There are some additional reforms included in this bill which I will touch on a bit later, but I put on the record that we will have a not-oppose position on this legislation. I also thank the departmental staff who provided a briefing to me on this and got back to me in a very timely manner on the outstanding questions that I was seeking responses to that could not be answered on the day.

In summary, this bill makes changes, which I spoke about in this place last year when we saw this bill largely presented in a very similar form, but it also remedies some oversights of previous legislation that the government is revisiting after not quite getting it exactly right on the first occasion. One point I will make is on the timing in relation to the reintroduction of this legislation. As we know and as we saw in the second-reading speech, a large component of this bill relates to safeguards, and it has come into this chamber for discussion and debate six months before the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability hands down its findings, and that report will be handed down in September this year. I would imagine it is likely and there is a fair chance that a royal commission that is looking into issues like abuse in the disability sector may come up with some recommendations around safeguards in the sector and maybe even hand down new safeguarding requirements. So it is interesting that this legislation that largely relates to safeguards in the disability sector has been reintroduced in this time frame rather than waiting and seeing what is going to come out of that royal commission and the recommendations that it presents.

It will certainly be, I guess – maybe embarrassing is too strong a word – interesting if the royal commission’s recommendations do not align with what is presented in this bill. Even if it does align but further amendments are required to disability safeguards, we will find ourselves with yet another disability amendment bill up for discussion in this chamber. Those living with a disability are among the most vulnerable in our community. I think every member in this house would agree that they do deserve absolutely the highest levels of protection. At the same time those working in this sector also need a regulatory system that is not overly burdensome or requiring duplication of administrative requirements.

Sitting suspended 1:00 pm until 2:01 pm.

Business interrupted under sessional orders.