Stock Diseases Act Amendment Bill 1976

1518  HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY  October 13, 1975

Second Reading

The Hon. J. D. CORCORAN (Minister of Works): I move:

That this Bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading explanation inserted in Hansard without my reading it.

Leave granted.

Explanation of Bill

The purpose of this short Bill is to make certain amendments to the principal Act, the Stock Diseases Act, 1934- 1968, to enable the disease brucellosis to be dealt with more effectively.

Clauses 1 and 2 are formal. Clause 3 amends the long title to the principal Act to recognise its slightly wider coverage. Clause 4 amends section 5 of the principal Act, the interpretation section: (a) by striking out the definition of “disease” and substituting a somewhat wider definition; and (b) by inserting a definition of “the department” expressed in more general terms.

Clause 5 amends section 6 of the principal Act, and the amendment set forth in paragraph (a) of that clause is In aid of the definition of “the department”, and the amendment set out in paragraph (b) of that clause is consequential on the amendment to “disease” in section 5. Clause 6 amends section 11. of the principal Act by somewhat widening the powers of the inspector to order stock into quarantine. It is not necessary that the inspector should be satisfied that the stock proposed to be placed into quarantine are “diseased or infected”. There may well be circumstances when he will wish to quarantine the stock in order to determine whether they are diseased or infected.

Clause 7 repeals and re-enacts section 18 of the principal Act, and the attention of members is specifically directed to this re-enactment which gives a wide power for the destruction of stock, a destruction that will of course attract compensation under the Cattle Compensation Act. Clause 8 is consequential on the definition of “the department”.

Dr. EASTIC secured the adjournment of the debate.