Page 1889 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 May 1991
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Ms Follett: That is one rule for them and another rule for us.
Mrs Grassby: One rule for them and one for us.
MR SPEAKER: If that is your lopsided interpretation, I am afraid that is the way you will have to read it. But it is not; it is a fair ruling. My ruling applies to both sides of the house equally.
Mr Collaery: On the point of order, Mr Speaker: The record should show that that term has been freely used on both sides of the house, and that your ruling impacts no more on them than on us; it applies equally on both sides of the house. We on this side of the house will respect your ruling. I give that undertaking as manager of government business.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you.
RATES AND LAND RENT (RELIEF) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1991
Debate resumed from 18 April 1991, on motion by Mr Duby:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MRS GRASSBY (11.07): Mr Speaker, the Opposition is happy with this Bill. However, we did speak to the Council on the Ageing and ACTCOSS on this Bill - as we always try to speak to all the groups that such measures will have an effect on - and some of the comments that came back from both those organisations were very interesting. We saw very quickly the point that the Council on the Ageing was making. It said that the clause requiring applications for a rebate to be "in writing signed by the applicant" should clearly state that it applies also to someone holding a power of attorney. It said also that it should include the "principal carer" to allow for people who may not have given a power of attorney and may have become incapable of signing such an application in person.
The point I am making here is that often when people get put into a home it is not really quite clear whether they will be there forever. In some cases they may be there for six to 12 months, and they may then be able to go home again. The point is that at that time their house is left empty and, according to the Council on the Ageing, there is no proviso in the Bill whereby, for that full year, their rates and taxes will still enjoy that lower rate. Perhaps the Minister, when he speaks, can inform us that this will be so.
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