Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 1 Hansard (20 February) . . Page.. 291 ..

Question put:

That the amendment (Mr Moore's) be agreed to.

The Assembly voted -

	AYES, 8	 	NOES, 7

	Mr Berry	Mrs Carnell
	Mr Corbell	Mr Cornwell
	Ms Horodny	Mr Hird
	Ms McRae	Mr Humphries
	Mr Moore	Mr Kaine
	Ms Reilly	Mrs Littlewood
	Ms Tucker	Mr Osborne
	Mr Whitecross

MR CORBELL (6.32): I will be brief, as I know that we are into the early evening. This Government appears to believe that it is not appropriate to allow community representatives to speak out against the Government if they just happen to be on a government board or authority. I believe that is completely wrong. Many in the community would argue that a person should be able, and indeed deserves to be able, to continue to represent the views of an organisation they may belong to and, at the same time, continue to act in a professional and appropriate manner on a government board or authority. Indeed, there are many business people, people who represent private organisations and businesses, who continue quite publicly to advocate the views of their organisation in the wider community and, at the same time, maintain a professional and responsible approach on many government boards and authorities.

The amendment to Ms Tucker's motion which I have had circulated requires the Government to develop protocols which will help guide community representatives and Ministers on their rights and responsibilities when serving on or overseeing government boards and authorities. I recognise the Chief Minister's point that when people are appointed to a board they act as an individual, but what this amendment intends to do is allow those same people to continue to speak on behalf of a community organisation which they represent in the wider community. It does not in any way require or allow a community representative to act in a partisan manner on the board of a government authority. The rules that currently apply to government boards and authorities would remain. But it would allow a community representative to speak out on behalf of the organisation they represent.

It is a very simple amendment, but I think it would be a useful one for this Assembly to adopt because it would allow the person involved to advocate the view of their community organisation without fear of any sort of reprisal from the government because they just happen to hold an office on a government board or authority. I commend the amendment to the Assembly. I move:

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .