❓ Question regarding the status of legislative reforms impacting seniors, specifically concerning retirement villages, residential parks, and prepaid funeral services. The Minister provides updates on each area, indicating progress on some and lack of justification for regulation in others.
AnsweredQoN 1425Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SENIORS —
LEGISLATIVE REFORM
1425. Hon MARTIN PRITCHARD to
the Minister for Commerce:
I ask this question on behalf of Hon Samantha Rowe, who is out of the chamber on urgent parliamentary
business. I refer to the pressing need for legislative reform in areas
directly impacting seniors.
What is the current status of —
(a) the second tranche of the
Retirement Villages Amendment Act, foreshadowed in 2012;
(b) the residential park laws
review, to which submissions closed in 2014; and
(c) a code of
practice under the Fair Trading Act 2010 to regulate the prepaid funeral sector
and to provide certainty for the treatment and investment of prepaid consumer
funds?
LEGISLATIVE REFORM
1425. Hon MARTIN PRITCHARD to
the Minister for Commerce:
I ask this question on behalf of Hon Samantha Rowe, who is out of the chamber on urgent parliamentary
business. I refer to the pressing need for legislative reform in areas
directly impacting seniors.
What is the current status of —
(a) the second tranche of the
Retirement Villages Amendment Act, foreshadowed in 2012;
(b) the residential park laws
review, to which submissions closed in 2014; and
(c) a code of
practice under the Fair Trading Act 2010 to regulate the prepaid funeral sector
and to provide certainty for the treatment and investment of prepaid consumer
funds?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question. It is just a shame, being a scheduled sitting day, that there was
urgent parliamentary business that made the member unavailable to ask her own
question.
(a) The
Consumer Protection Division of the Department of Commerce has commenced work
on the second tranche. The department is working through policy issues and will
consult with stakeholders.
(b) The
department has provided me with the statutory review report, setting out a
number of recommendations for consideration by government, based on the
findings of the review. I intend to table the report in Parliament before the
summer recess. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to comment on those
recommendations.
(c) There is
currently insufficient evidence to support the need for a mandatory code. Most
prepaid funeral providers are Australian Funeral Directors Association members
who already abide by a code of practice, and the department receives few
complaints about the funeral industry. In July and October this year the
department undertook education campaigns for the general community and
Aboriginal communities to inform consumers about options for organising and
paying for a funeral.
question. It is just a shame, being a scheduled sitting day, that there was
urgent parliamentary business that made the member unavailable to ask her own
question.
(a) The
Consumer Protection Division of the Department of Commerce has commenced work
on the second tranche. The department is working through policy issues and will
consult with stakeholders.
(b) The
department has provided me with the statutory review report, setting out a
number of recommendations for consideration by government, based on the
findings of the review. I intend to table the report in Parliament before the
summer recess. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to comment on those
recommendations.
(c) There is
currently insufficient evidence to support the need for a mandatory code. Most
prepaid funeral providers are Australian Funeral Directors Association members
who already abide by a code of practice, and the department receives few
complaints about the funeral industry. In July and October this year the
department undertook education campaigns for the general community and
Aboriginal communities to inform consumers about options for organising and
paying for a funeral.
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