Page 2863 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 August 1991
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it is recognised across all jurisdictions that we would be far better off to move in the direction that we have already moved as a nation for corporate control, for other bodies.
The Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill now before the Assembly, which it is pleasing to see is supported by all sides, is moving in the direction of better accountability control and applying national standards, but the long-term goal should surely be total uniformity through the cooperative approach that was exampled in the securities law exercise of 18 months ago.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (11.24), in reply: I thank members for their support of this Bill. I must say that it has been a very interesting debate, with some interesting points raised. As Mr Kaine said, the Bill is about accountability, particularly, of course, accountability for people who are members of societies that the Bill will apply to. I think there is also a broader question, and that is accountability to the general public. The Bill, of course, will strengthen the reporting requirements of societies so that there is a more general accountability provision there for the public, including the media.
In relation to the incidents that Mr Collaery spoke about, I think one of the most difficult problems at the time was the lack of public information; the fact that meetings were not open to the public and not open to the media very often, and that there was very little for anybody to go on in relation to the Canberra Building Society matter and, of course, the previous matters that Mr Collaery spoke about. So, I think there is also a strengthened public information role in this Bill and I do think that that is important. Mr Speaker, I will be very brief. No speaker has raised a point of contention or an amendment that I need to respond to, so I simply thank them for their comments on the Bill.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail Stage
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
MR COLLAERY (11.26): I am grateful for the indulgence of the house; but it is, as I say every day, extremely difficult to operate in this chamber without effective staffing. Mr Speaker, I have some other matters prepared, but not quite finally researched, which suggest that comment should be made generally about prudential requirements in cooperative society management.
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