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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 10 Hansard (14 October) . . Page.. 3206 ..

Original question put:

The Assembly voted -

AYES, 10  	NOES, 7

Mr Berry  	Ms Carnell
Mr Corbell  	Mr Cornwell
Mr Hargreaves  	Mr Hird
Mr Kaine  	Mr Humphries
Mr Osborne  	Mr Moore
Mr Quinlan  	Mr Smyth
Mr Rugendyke  	Mr Stefaniak
Mr Stanhope
Ms Tucker
Mr Wood

MR SPEAKER: Pursuant to standing order 246A, I wish to inform the Assembly that on 22 September 1999 the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure resolved that the following statement be made concerning the committees consideration of joint committee meetings.

The Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure has been actively considering the matter of joint meetings between Assembly committees since 18 May 1999. The matter falls within the committee's terms of reference as defined by standing order 16(1)(a)(ii). The committee's consideration arose from correspondence from the presiding members of two committees.

The committee, having a number of concerns about the procedural problems and complications that could arise from joint committee meetings, particularly given the size of the Assembly, sought to isolate the concerns of the two committees. It became apparent that there was an understanding that an Assembly general purpose committee could not examine officers of the ACT Public Service and other public employees from a portfolio area different from that of its own primary interest. It was agreed that a statement be made to the Assembly on the matter.

The Assembly on 28 April 1998 established five general purpose standing committees to examine a range of listed matters relating to each portfolio area and "any other matter under the responsibility" of each Minister under the administrative arrangements in place at the time. It is in the nature of these areas of allocated responsibility that subjects of inquiry may, to some extent, overlap portfolio areas, just as the responsibilities of government departments to some extent overlap, as has been acknowledged in the

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