XN000022-1993-03-19 — Page 3

FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1993

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ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS BOARD BILL GAZETTED

SET

AN INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS BOARD (AAB) IS TO BE UP ΤΟ STREAMLINE ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS PROCEDURES, THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS BOARD BILL GAZETTED TODAY IS AIMED AT PROVIDING A MORE OPEN AND UNIFORM APPEAL SYSTEM IN LINE WITH ARTICLE 10 OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE.

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**IT WILL ALSO HELP REDUCE THE VOLUME OF MINOR AND ROUTINE BUSINESS GOING BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

UNDER THE PROPOSAL, THE AAR WILL

CONDUCT ITS HEARINGS IN

PUBLIC, ALLOW THE APPELLANT THE RIGHT TO ATTEND, AND PERMIT

REPRESENTATION BY COUNSEL.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THIS WOULD NOT ONLY IMPROVE THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE DECISIONS MADE ON THE APPEALS, BUT WOULD ALSO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.

THE SET UP OF THE BOARD IS DESIGNED TO HANDLE A WIDE RANGE OF

APPEALS.

THESE

INITIALLY, IT WILL. ONLY DEAL WITH APPEALS OF A SIMPLE AND ROUTINE NATURE, FOR IT TO BUILD UP EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE. INCLUDE MISCELLANEOUS LICENSING AND REGISTRATION APPEALS.

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APPEALS WHICH MAY HAVE IMPORTANT POLICY OR POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO BE DEALT WITH BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE CONCEPT OF THE AAB IS MODELLED ON THE SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE OF THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES APPEALS BOARDS WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED IN MID-1990 TO TAKE OVER FROM THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HEARING CERTAIN STATUTORY APPEALS AGAINST THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, SUCH AS HAWKER AND LIQUOR LICENSING APPEALS.

THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES APPEALS BOARDS CONSIST OF AN URBAN SERVICES APPEALS BOARD AND A REGIONAL SERVICES APPEALS BOARD.

THE

THE AAB WILL BE CHAIRED BY A LEGALLY QUALIFIED PERSON. BOARD WILL HAVE THE POWER TO EXERCISE ALL THE POWERS AND DISCRETIONS CONFERRED ON THE ORIGINAL DECISION-MAKER AND MAY AFFIRM, VARY, OR SET ASIDE THE ORIGINAL DECISION.

THE BILL IS SCHEDULED TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON MARCH 31.

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