Page 1975 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 24 October 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Second reading debate resumed; reasoned amendment may be moved; second reading agreed to; Clerk reads title.
Committee consideration immediately following second reading. Bill may go into committee of whole or to legislation committee, where amendments may be made.
Report by committee to House; House adopts report.
Third reading -
something that we do not have in this place -
moved; may be debated; agreed to; Clerk reads title. Message sent to Senate seeking concurrence.
Mr Speaker, that is quite a lengthy process and it provides ample opportunity for the people of the ACT to participate in the debate on issues and Bills. In relation to payroll tax legislation, we find that some of the peak organisations that represent the majority of small businesses in the ACT have had no consultation whatsoever, other than a brief comment in the consultation committee during the budget process. There has been no discussion about what is, as my colleague Mr Kaine has suggested, a very complex Bill that has considerable ramifications for small business in the ACT. We have heard members opposite, particularly the Deputy Chief Minister, talk about how important small business is in the ACT. Mr Speaker, we are getting messages from small business in the ACT that the sorts of proposals that are coming forward in relation to this payroll tax Bill are going to have a considerable effect on small business.
Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, we are not debating the payroll tax Bill; it is an entirely different matter.
MR SPEAKER: That is not a point of order, Minister Berry. Please proceed, Mr Jensen.
MR JENSEN: Mr Speaker, I thank you for providing protection to me also from the Minister seeking to make such a fatuous point of order. I also continue my reference to that rather useful book by Pettifer which contains a table on the making of an Act of parliament in relation to legislation. It talks about how the executive government - that is, the minority Government across the way - sets up its policy. In that stage, it does it from public opinion and in relation to community needs and pressures. We find that a draft Bill is prepared, and it then goes through Cabinet and is publicised. We then find, as I have already indicated, that provides the opportunity for community consideration and consultation. But, as I have already alluded to, in the Federal Parliament it then goes to the house of review where it goes through
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .