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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 1 Hansard (28 April) . . Page.. 107 ..

MR QUINLAN (5.18): Mr Speaker, I have had a short briefing on this matter. The ALP will support the Bill. From that briefing, I am reasonably assured that it is necessary to pass this legislation at this time. I do anticipate receiving a further briefing on the matter towards discovering the ultimate destination of the funds and a few of the other arrangements which the people who briefed me were not fully au fait with. I understand that there is further work to be done; but, as it stands, there is no objection to the Bill.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Community Safety and Minister Assisting the Treasurer) (5.19): Mr Speaker, I ask for leave to present the Interpretation (Amendment) Bill 1998.

Leave granted.

MR HUMPHRIES: I thank members. I present the Interpretation (Amendment) Bill 1998, together with its explanatory memorandum.

Title read by Clerk.

MR HUMPHRIES: I move:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

Mr Speaker, as members will be aware, this Government wishes to ensure that the Assembly performs its functions effectively. Since the election, considerable thought has been given to this requirement by us and other members. We have just dealt with a motion which restructures the committees of the Assembly. But that has some implications for statute law in the ACT.

One of the Assembly's functions is to scrutinise, through its committees, various matters that arise under ACT laws. In the past, when this has been considered necessary, a number of drafting techniques have been resorted to. For example, in section 25 of the Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991, the Executive is required to refer a draft variation to the Territory Plan to "an appropriate committee of the Legislative Assembly".

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