Page 878 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 27 March 1990
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committee, but one that operated in a different way to the legal affairs committee that had been proposed in the various submissions put forward.
It was a committee that operated specifically on legislation and the nature of that legislation, whereas the legal affairs committee, as we see by the recommended areas of responsibility in the report, covers a number of areas. I certainly agree with the proposal to retain the existing Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation mainly because I think there will be many regulations and Bills brought up in the early days of this Assembly, plus those that have been a hangover from the past. Eventually I would expect that committee to look at some of those issues.
This new committee structure that we have recommended will provide the next stage for the continued implementation of the committee operations within this Assembly. I look forward to continuing my participation in that committee structure in the future. I have found that work interesting and a major part of my role as a member of this Assembly.
In closing, Mr Speaker, I would like to make one brief comment in relation to the staffing proposals recommended by the committee. I believe the committee is fully aware of the nature of the fiscal situation within the ACT and it knew full well that any proposal to increase the size of the staff supporting the committees would probably receive short shrift. That is not inappropriate, particularly as the sorts of areas that will now be covered by the various standing committees are clearly identified in the recommendations. It will be only on the very odd occasion that specialist references for select committees will probably be referred to the committee.
On that basis, the committee looked very carefully at its current staffing arrangements and took advice from those responsible for actually providing that support. I think that what we have put forward in this matter is a major way of providing support to the committees without increasing the numbers or the expense associated with the running of those committees.
I believe that that system of operation will be sufficient. Certainly, there are some compromises involved, but unfortunately, life is full of compromises and there are times in these economically hard days that we have to ensure that we do not overload our financial system too much and that we make the most of the resources and the facilities that we have. I believe that this provides an opportunity to do that.
However, I am sure that once the Assembly moves further down the track there may come a time when this issue can be reviewed, but I certainly would not see that happening in the very near future. With those closing remarks, I
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