Page 3198 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 11 September 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Mr Collaery: Mr Speaker, I think it should be known that I do not have the same level of staffing as other party leaders. This again exemplifies the problems pushed onto us.
Mr Moore: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I am quite prepared to speak on the Associations Incorporation Bill.
MR SPEAKER: Very well. I call Mr Moore.
MR MOORE (3.15): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I see that Mr Collaery is not entirely prepared for debate on this quite important Bill. There have been a number of anomalies with the incorporation of associations in the Territory and a number of people have come to me, particularly in recent times, complaining of the difficulties with associations that either are not incorporated or have been incorporated but have not been following their constitutions. I believe that this Bill will provide far better control of associations, where they are incorporated, and far better control of a situation where public funds and the public interest are involved.
One of the benefits of the Bill is that it ensures that, where the interests of individuals are affected by incorporated associations, as is the case on many occasions in the ACT, those interests will be appropriately looked after and the law will apply in a way that continues to look after them. I am aware of one situation at the moment - I do not wish to be specific, because of the individuals involved - where an incorporated association has not been carrying on its meetings according to its constitution; where that incorporated association has taken a number of steps that are entirely unconstitutional; and where they have, by those acts, had an impact on a series of individuals and, in this case, on those individuals' children.
I believe that this Bill will provide the tool by which such things can be pursued, and pursued effectively. It is, therefore, very important that the Bill be dealt with appropriately by the Assembly and not just glossed over in the almost mirthful way that we saw earlier. That is not meant to be a reflection on Mr Collaery's lack of staff; but, rather, on the state of the house at the time when he was outside, I believe trying to handle a press interview. As far as that goes, perhaps if we could manage to divide Mr Collaery into two, as he does himself quite often, but do it physically as well as mentally, he could be both here and outside and we would not run into this sort of problem.
It is appropriate that the law on incorporated associations be brought up to date so that people can be protected and so that people can be encouraged, where they have associations, to incorporate them and to feel comfortable that there is an appropriate and up-to-date law that facilitates that incorporation and also provides the appropriate responsibilities and protections associated
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .