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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 3712 ..

Adjournment debate

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the adjournment debate for the sitting schedule for 30 August 2001 extending beyond the 30 minute time limit.

Special adjournment

Motion (by Mr Moore ) agreed to:

That the Assembly, at the rising of the sitting scheduled for 30 August 2001, adjourn until a day and an hour to be fixed by the Speaker either

at the request of the Chief Minister; or

on receipt of a request in writing from an absolute majority of members

and that date and time of meeting shall be notified by the Speaker to each member in writing.

Territory Owned Corporations (Amendment) Bill 1999

Debate resumed from 13 October 1999, on motion by Ms Tucker:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MR QUINLAN (10.46): Although there are some tempting aspects to this legislation, the opposition will not be supporting this bill. The tempting aspects are that union representation on boards would become virtually automatic-representation from the Australian Council of Social Service and representation from the conservation council. I have used the term "representation" each time because that is virtually what it boils down to. It is a prescription for representation on a board or the next best thing.

Earlier today, in relation to legislation brought to this place by Mr Osborne, we discussed what I think is in many ways overprescriptiveness in the administrative frameworks that we set up. I rather think that this is slightly-or more than slightly-overprescriptive. There is a temptation for us to have union representation on each of the boards. If there is a change of government and we throw out Australian workplace agreements and bring back enterprise bargaining, we could end up putting some of our union brothers and sisters in a position of conflict where they are on both sides of the table. I hope that, when we set up boards, we will have the good sense to appoint responsible people who will work within the guidelines set for each of those organisations. I trust that the various dimensions of our community, the various stakeholders, use their current position of power to influence those boards without necessarily being granted representation.

We were tempted to have the incorporation of unions on the board, including the Australian Capital Territory Council of Social Service. Having worked directly in the community sector for six years prior to coming to this place, I have to say that I did not necessarily always agree with what ACTCOSS said or the direction that they took. There

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