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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 3669 ..

Legislative Assembly (Privileges) Bill 1998

Detail stage

Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.

MR OSBORNE (7.51): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move amendments 1 and 2 circulated in my name together.

Leave granted.

MR OSBORNE: I move amendments Nos 1 and 2 circulated in my name [see schedule 2 at page 3720].

Mr Speaker, these amendments are in line with the recommendations of the Administration and Procedure Committee, which looked quite extensively at this bill. I thank the Clerk's office for their assistance with this piece of legislation.

MR CORBELL (7.53): Mr Speaker, the Labor Party will be supporting these amendments. As Mr Osborne indicated, the amendments are consistent with the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure report into his Legislative Assembly (Privileges) Bill. Perhaps the most important aspect of his amendments which is worth stressing to members is that the focus of the bill is taken away from privileges and directed at the precincts of the Legislative Assembly building.

The issues relating to powers of committees and the publication of documents have been addressed as a result of the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure. This bill now focuses predominantly, although not exclusively, on defining the clear authority of the Assembly in relation to its physical location in the building. It focuses on the power of the Assembly and of you, Mr Speaker, to safeguard the building and the operation of the building-the easy, fair and open access to the building by members, particularly when the Assembly is in session but also outside of periods when the Assembly is in session.

Mr Osborne's amendments also address issues such as the status of the car park area adjacent to the building that is used by members. They also deal with measures to ensure that protocols for the management of the executive area located within the building are appropriately dealt with by you, Mr Speaker, and the Chief Minister.

These amendments propose a range of measures. They address the important aspects of the workability of the Assembly as a parliament and its ability to conduct its business freely without interference. That is an important concept which I am sure members will endorse. It is the reason that the Labor Party will be supporting this bill, as amended by the amendments.

MR MOORE (Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services) (7.56): Mr Speaker, the government will also be supporting the amendments, which largely seek to omit and replace the contents of the bill. They also seek to change the name of the bill. I have to say that this is an interesting process.

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