Section 63 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting subsection (2) and substituting the following subsection:

(2)  The council is to adopt human resource policies and the general manager is to adopt human resource practices and procedures, in accordance with the policies adopted by the council, to ensure that –

(a) the council promotes fairness and equity in employment, including the provision of reasonable opportunities for members of the community to apply to be an employee of the council; and

(b) the appointment or promotion of a person as an employee of the council is based primarily on a merit assessment of the person; and

(c) all employees of the council receive fair and equitable treatment without discrimination.