Page 3781 - Week 12 - Thursday, 21 October 1993
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ADJOURNMENT
Motion (by Mr Berry) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Legislative Advice
MR LAMONT (6.00): I will be very brief. Madam Speaker, before Mr Kaine leaves, there was a question raised this afternoon. I did not choose to rise during the debate to mention it. Mr Kaine's proposed amendments to the Bill that has just been passed would have had the effect of gutting every charity in the ACT. That probably was an unintended consequence. I certainly hope that it was. After Mr Humphries's $26m gaffe last week and Mr Kaine's gaffe this afternoon in drafting legislation, the Liberal Opposition should get a bit more advice.
Madam Speaker, the Government's Bill abolished the concept of exempt documents. All documents would have been liable for at least a minimum $20 duty. Mr Kaine's second amendment would restrict the application of this minimum duty to only those documents with a duty of some sort but less than $20. It follows that, as the effect of the Government's Bill was to abolish exempt documents totally, and Mr Kaine's minimum duty would apply only to those few documents with a duty between zero and $20, previously exempt documents, including those for charities, would have been subject to full ad valorem duty if Mr Kaine's amendment had got up. Quite obviously, Mr Kaine, and, indeed, the Liberal Opposition, need to take far better advice before they attempt to amend money Bills in this Assembly.
Legislative Advice
MR HUMPHRIES (6.02): I am sure that if Mr Lamont's legal advice is as sound as it was on the disallowance motion last week we know where to put his advice tonight.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Assembly adjourned at 6.02 pm until Tuesday, 23 November 1993, at 2.30 pm
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