Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009 (WA)

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Western Australia

Parliamentary Commissioner

Amendment Act 2009

As at 29 Jun 2009

No. 10 of 2009

Extract from see that website for further information

Western Australia

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment

Act 2009

CONTENTS

1.

Short title

2

2.

Commencement

2

3.

Act amended

2

4.

Long title amended

2

5.

Section 4 amended

2

6.

Section 9 amended

3

7.

Part III Division 3A inserted

3

Division 3A — Deaths of certain children

19A.

Terms used in this Division

3

19B.

Functions as to investigable deaths

4

8.

Section 22B amended

5

9.

Section 30A amended

6

10.

Schedule 1 replaced

6

Schedule 1 — Departments and authorities, and

extent, to which this Act does not apply

11. Children and Community Services Act 2004

amended

8

242A.

CEO to notify Ombudsman of certain

deaths of children

8

As at 29 Jun 2009

No. 10 of 2009

page i

Extract from see that website for further information

Western Australia

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment

Act 2009

No. 10 of 2009

An Act to amend the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1971 and as a

consequence to amend the Children and Community Services

Act 2004.

[Assented to 29 June 2009]

The Parliament of Western Australia enacts as follows:

As at 29 Jun 2009

No. 10 of 2009

page 1

Extract from see that website for further information

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009

s. 1

1.             Short title

This is the Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009.

2.             Commencement

This Act comes into operation as follows —

(a)

sections 1 and 2 — on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent;

(b)

the rest of the Act — on the day after that day.

3.             Act amended

This Act amends the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1971

unless otherwise indicated.

4.             Long title amended

In the long title:

(a)

delete “Investigations for” and insert:

Investigations with functions relating to

(b)

after “authorities” insert:

and to the deaths of certain children

5.             Section 4 amended

In section 4 in the definition of staff delete “section 9(2a);” and

insert:

section 9(2a) and persons engaged under section 9(2B);

page 2

No. 10 of 2009

As at 29 Jun 2009

Extract from see that website for further information

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009

s. 6

6.             Section 9 amended

After section 9(2a) insert:

(2B)

The Commissioner may engage persons under

contracts for services to provide professional, technical

or other assistance for the purpose of enabling the

functions of the Commissioner properly to be carried

out.

7.             Part III Division 3A inserted

After Part III Division 2 insert:

Division 3A — Deaths of certain children

19A.

Terms used in this Division

(1) In this Division —

CCS Act means the Children and Community Services

Act 2004;

investigable death has the meaning given in

subsection (3).

(2)

If a term is given a meaning in the CCS Act, it has the

same meaning in this Division unless the contrary

intention appears in this Division.

(3)

An investigable death occurs if a child dies and any of

the following circumstances exists —

(a)

in the 2 years before the date of the child’s death, the CEO had received information that raised concerns about the wellbeing of the child or a child relative of the child;

(b)

in the 2 years before the date of the child’s death, the CEO, under section 32(1) of the CCS Act, had determined that action should be

By Authority: JOHN A. STRIJK, Government Printer

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009

s. 7

taken to safeguard or promote the wellbeing of

the child or a child relative of the child;

(c)

in the 2 years before the date of the child’s death, any of the actions listed in section 32(1) of the CCS Act was done in respect of the child or a child relative of the child;

(d)

protection proceedings are pending in respect of the child or a child relative of the child;

(e)

the child or a child relative of the child is in the CEO’s care.

19B.

Functions as to investigable deaths

(1)

When the advisory body called the Child Death

Review Committee, taken to be established under

section 27 of the CCS Act, is abolished, the

Commissioner is its successor for the purposes of the

State Records Act 2000 section 8 which applies

accordingly.

(2)

The Commissioner, after taking account of any

information and reasons given to the Commissioner

under the CCS Act section 242A(3), may decide if the

death of a child is or is not an investigable death.

(3)

The Commissioner’s functions in relation to

investigable deaths are as follows —

(a)

to review the circumstances in which and why the deaths occurred;

(b)

to identify any patterns or trends in relation to the deaths;

(c)

to make recommendations to any department or authority about ways to prevent or reduce investigable deaths.

(4)

To enable the Commissioner to perform the functions

in subsections (2) and (3), the Commissioner may

page 4

No. 10 of 2009

As at 29 Jun 2009

Extract from see that website for further information

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009

s. 8

exercise any power the Commissioner has under death of a child.

(5)

The Commissioner may perform the functions the Commissioner has under this Act to investigate a decision or recommendation made, or an act done or

omitted, in or by a department or authority to which

this Act applies in the exercise of any power or

function if the decision, recommendation, act or

omission relates to —

(a)

a matter of administration; and

(b) an investigable death.

8.             Section 22B amended

In section 22B:

(a)

in paragraph (d) delete “Inspector.” and insert:

Inspector; or

(b)

after paragraph (d) insert:

(e)

is disclosed to a person who is —

(i)      the Commissioner for Children and Young People; or

(ii)      a member of the staff of the Commissioner for Children and Young People authorised for the purposes of this subparagraph by the Commissioner,

and concerns a matter that is relevant to the

death of a child.

By Authority: JOHN A. STRIJK, Government Printer

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009

s. 9

(c)

after each of paragraphs (aa) and (b) insert:

or

9.             Section 30A amended

(1)

In section 30A(1):

(a)

in paragraph (b) delete “Act.” and insert:

Act; or

(b)

after paragraph (b) insert:

(c)

providing information about the death of a child for the purposes of Part III Division 3A.

(2)

In section 30A(3) delete “(1)(a) or (b)” and insert:

(1)(a), (b) or (c)

10.           Schedule 1 replaced

Delete Schedule 1 and insert:

Schedule 1 — Departments and authorities, and

extent, to which this Act does not apply

[s. 13(2)(n)]

Act establishing

Department or authority, and extent, to

department or

which this Act does not apply

authority

Auditor General

The Auditor General to the extent of the

Act 2006

Auditor General’s functions other than that of

chief executive officer of the department of

the Public Service known as the Office of the

Auditor General.

page 6

No. 10 of 2009

As at 29 Jun 2009

Extract from see that website for further information

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009

s. 10

Act establishing

Department or authority, and extent, to

department or

which this Act does not apply

authority

Commissioner for

Commissioner for Children and Young People

Children and Young

to the extent of the Commissioner’s functions

People Act 2006

other than that of chief employee under the

Public Sector Management Act 1994.

Corruption and Crime

Corruption and Crime Commission.

Commission Act 2003

Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and

Crime Commission.

Director of Public

Director of Public Prosecutions.

Prosecutions Act 1991

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions.

Economic Regulation

Economic Regulation Authority to the extent

Authority Act 2003

of its functions referred to in the Gas Pipelines

Access (Western Australia) Act 1998

section 36(1) and the Railways (Access)

Act 1998 section 20(1).

Electoral Act 1907

Electoral Commissioner to the extent of the

Electoral Commissioner’s functions other than

that of chief executive officer of the

department of the Public Service known as the

Western Australian Electoral Commission.

Deputy Electoral Commissioner.

Equal Opportunity

Commissioner for Equal Opportunity.

Act 1984

Director of Equal Opportunity in Public

Employment.

Freedom of

Information Commissioner.

Information Act 1992

Inspector of Custodial

Inspector of Custodial Services.

Services Act 2003

Parliamentary

Parliamentary Commissioner for

Commissioner

Administrative Investigations.

Act 1971

Deputy Parliamentary Commissioner for

Administrative Investigations.

By Authority: JOHN A. STRIJK, Government Printer

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009

s. 11

Act establishing

Department or authority, and extent, to

department or

which this Act does not apply

authority

Public Sector

Commissioner for Public Sector Standards to

Management Act 1994

the extent of the Commissioner’s functions

other than that of chief executive officer of the

department of the Public Service principally

assisting the Commissioner in the performance

of the Commissioner’s functions under the

Public Sector Management Act 1994.

Racing and Wagering

Racing and Wagering Western Australia.

Western Australia

Act 2003

Royal Commissions

Any Royal Commission.

Act 1968

Solicitor-General

Solicitor-General.

Act 1969

State Administrative

State Administrative Tribunal.

Tribunal Act 2004

11. Children and Community Services Act 2004 amended

(1)

This section amends the Children and Community Services

Act 2004.

(2)

At the beginning of Part 11 insert:

242A.

CEO to notify Ombudsman of certain deaths of

children

(1) In this section —

Commissioner has the meaning given in the

Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1971 section 4;

investigable death has the meaning given in the

Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1971 section 19A.

page 8

No. 10 of 2009

As at 29 Jun 2009

Extract from see that website for further information

Parliamentary Commissioner Amendment Act 2009

s. 11

(2)

The CEO must give the Commissioner written notice of any investigable death within 14 days after the date on which the Coroner notifies the CEO of the death.

(3)

If requested in writing by the Commissioner to do so,

the CEO must give the Commissioner —

(a)

any information in relation to the death of a child that has not been notified under subsection (2) that the Commissioner requires for the purpose of enabling the Commissioner to decide whether the death is an investigable death; and

(b)

if the CEO is of the opinion the death is not an investigable death, reasons for the opinion.

By Authority: JOHN A. STRIJK, Government Printer

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