AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

CHILD WELFARE ORDINANCE 1962

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

No. 14 of 1962

	The Child Welfare Ordinance 1962 will amend the Child Welfare Ordinance 1957 in two respects; firstly to incorporate necessary reference to the Supplemental Agreement made in July 1962 between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of New South Wales, which will be ratified by the Child Welfare Agreement Ordinance 1962, and secondly to permit the employment of boys of the age of twelve years in the sale, delivery or distribution of newspapers and other periodicals.

	The amending Ordinance will insert in the Principal Ordinance a new Part XIA which will provide that :

(a)	a person may so employ such a boy if:

(i)	he has first given to the Director of Child Welfare, notice of his intention to do so;

(ii)	the consent of the boy’s parents or parent has been obtained, or, if for any reason (except a parent’s refusal) the required parental consent cannot be obtained, the Director has consented to the employment;

(iii)	the boy has attained the age of twelve years;

(iv)	he has made proper provision to safeguard the boy’s health and welfare.
(b)	the Minister may, by notice given to a person who so employs boys, prescribe conditions of employment considered necessary to safeguard their health and welfare;

(c)	omission to comply with such a notice shall be an offence punishable with a fine of £100 or imprisonment for six months, or both;

(d)	the Minister may appoint an officer to investigate matters connected with such employment of boys;

(e)	the officer so appointed may enter and inspect any premises to ascertain whether a child is being employed in contravention of the provisions of the new Part XIA.

GORDON FREETH