Mr Speaker, I move that the Bill now be read for a second time.

Mr Speaker, the purpose of this Bill is make amendments to

services are provided, a fee determined in accordance with the

scale of fees provided in the associated regulations, is payable if

In addition, the Director under that Act is deemed to be the

employer of certain persons including ambulance officers and

State Service employees.

Registrar of the Asbestos Compensation Tribunal must, not later

than 31 July in each year, give to the Asbestos Compensation

Commissioner a statement specifying the number of applications

for referral made under that Act to the Tribunal during the

previous financial year. The Asbestos Compensation

Commissioner must, not later than 31 August in each year give to

the Registrar a copy of the statement received by it and pay to

the Registrar the prescribed amount.

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amendments also deem that a volunteer does not include a

person who is taken to be a worker for the purposes of the

amended to include the Asbestos Compensation Tribunal as a

Tasmanian Court. This will allow it to take evidence and

submissions by way of audio link and audio visual links.

their brigade to provide assistance in respect of a civil emergency,

any member of that brigade is taken to be engaged in fire-fighting

ensure that the State Fire Commission is deemed to be the

employer of all persons appointed or employed under the Fire

Service Act.

for hospital services, provided to a person whose fees and

charges are being funded by the Asbestos Compensation

Commissioner, is the amount agreed from time to time by the

Minister for Health and the Asbestos Compensation

Commissioner.

the definition of “compensable patient” includes a person that has

received, or established a right to receive, payment for care and

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services are not deemed to be health services if they relate to an

application made to the Asbestos Compensation Commissioner

or the Asbestos Compensation Tribunal.

amended to exclude the Motor Accidents Insurance Board from

liability for an asbestos-related disease which is compensable

that if an invalidity pensioner is in receipt of regular weekly

invalidity pension and weekly payments exceed the salary

received, or taken by the Board to have been received, in the

previous 12 months, the Board may suspend the pension payable

or reduce the amount of that pension.

discharging a community service order is taken to be a worker for

to remove asbestos related diseases from that Act. The

amendments also provide that an employer’s workers’

compensation insurance will cover them in the event of action

being taken against them at common law for an asbestos claim.

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In addition, amendments have been made that mean a person who

is currently receiving compensation under the Workers

Rehabilitation and Compensation Act for an asbestos disease will

continue to do so. If they then develop a different asbestos

This consequential amendment Bill is necessary to ensure the

I commend this Bill to the House.