Page 3776 - Week 11 - Thursday, 24 November 2022
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
already and there is no doubt that there are various and very serious concerns arising out of that. That is why I seek the suspension of standing orders to bring the motion on for debate.
There is no doubt that there is a lot of public interest in that proposed change to the Evidence Act and, whilst I acknowledge that this bill will automatically be referred to the JACS Committee under the standing orders for review, there of course is no guarantee that the inquiry will take place.
My motion calls for the Assembly to support—for every member in this chamber to support—a proper and warranted thorough review and inquiry of this bill, especially insofar as the proposal to change the Evidence Act. This is a necessary step to ensure transparency, accountability and openness that, when a proposal is brought that will result in significant law reform, it is not done by way of how we normally treat miscellaneous JACS bills like this. It is supremely important and it warranted the suspension of standing orders so that we can debate this motion.
Debate (on motion by Mr Braddock) adjourned to a later hour.
Public Accounts—Standing Committee
Reporting date—amendment
MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (11.15): I move:
That, notwithstanding the provisions of the resolution of the Assembly of 2 December 2020, as amended, that established general purpose standing committees, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts will commence an inquiry into the Work Health and Safety Amendment Bill 2022 after the Select Committee on Privileges 2022 has tabled its report and the Committee shall present its report on the Work Health and Safety Amendment Bill 2022 three months after the tabling of the Select Committee on Privileges 2022 report.
This motion seeks to amend the reporting date for the Standing Committee on Public Accounts inquiry into the Work Health and Safety Amendment Bill 2022. In accordance with the Assembly Resolution Establishment General Purpose Standing Committees, the Work Health and Safety Amendment Bill 2022 was referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts on 21 October 2022. The committee considers the bill to be a significant piece of legislation and, for this reason, at its private meeting on 2 November 2022, the committee resolved to undertake an inquiry into the bill.
Two members of the committee declared at the committee’s meeting on 2 November 2022 that they may have a possible conflict of interest in relation to this bill. Mr Braddock advised that he had been a member of the Select Committee on Estimates 2022-2023 and Mr Pettersson is a member of the Select Committee on Privileges 2022. The committee considered this matter for the members involved and notes that the interests are not pecuniary, as set out in standing order 224, and the committee members are complying with clause 12 of Continuing Resolution 5, Code of Conduct for Members in Relation to Managing any Conflict of Interest.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video