PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

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  4. 25 September 2002

Surveying Bill

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About this Item
SpeakersPage Mr Donald
BusinessBill, Second Reading


    SURVEYING BILL
Page: 5345


    Second Reading

    Debate resumed from 17 September.

    Mr D. L. PAGE (Ballina) [11.37 a.m.]: I lead for the Opposition on this legislation, which we do not oppose. We believe it is good legislation. The Surveyors Act 1929 currently regulates regulatory and disciplinary issues relating to land surveyors in New South Wales. That legislation was subject to National Competition Policy review, and in large part the bill is the result of the recommendations made as a result of the National Competition Policy review. The most significant aspects of the legislation arising from the recommendations of the review were, firstly, the retention of the system of registration of land surveyors as being in the public interest. That is a good recommendation. We need to maintain standards.

    The bill also broadens the scope of the board to include surveyors involved in coalmining, metalliferous mining and other extractive industries. New South Wales has roughly 1,000 land surveyors and approximately 150 mining surveyors. Whereas in the past they have been separated, this legislation brings them together. In keeping with that arrangement, there are changes to the membership of the board to include representatives of coalmining, metalliferous mining and extractive industry surveyors, the land or cadastral surveyors and the broader spatial information industry. There will also be a community representative.

    The bill also removes the restrictions on advertising by registered surveyors and the naming of survey practices. In addition to those significant recommendations, which came out of the National Competition Policy review, the bill contains other amendments, including a provision to change the name of the Board of Surveyors to the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information. This legislation consolidates a number of Acts, including the Surveyors Act 1929, the Survey (Geocentric Datum of Australia) Act 1999 and the Survey Marks Act 1902, into a single piece of legislation.

    Essentially, this legislation is about implementing some of the recommendations that came out of the National Competition Policy review. In the bill the Government has taken the opportunity to consolidate into one piece of legislation all those aspects that deal with surveying and spatial information. There have been many changes in the spatial information industry in the past decade in particular, and I believe it is good that we are looking at consolidating all aspects of the surveying profession and integrating them with other spatial information providers. The Opposition does not see any great difficulties with this legislation. We have consulted the Institution of Surveyors New South Wales, which supports the legislation. I have not found anyone who opposes the legislation and, accordingly, the National and Liberal parties will not oppose it. Indeed, as I said, we believe this is good legislation.

    Debate adjourned on motion by Mr Hickey.

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