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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 12 Hansard (12 November) . . Page.. 3415 ..

MRS DUNNE (continuing):

On the other hand, we have the full and valiant hope that we will in fact be able to report before that date. It was a matter of convenience-if we did not manage to report by Thursday, we did not have to come in here with yet another motion. However, Mr Corbell stands there in his haughty way saying, "This piece of legislation has been with us since May."That is not the case, Mr Speaker. This package of legislation has been revealed to this Assembly, and to the people of the ACT, like a belly-dancer doing the dance of the seven veils.

In May we got the substantive stuff, and at the end of September, we got about an inch and a half of consequential amendments. This was not widely publicised in the community. When members of the community started to make submissions to the committee, they were unaware of the existence of the consequential amendments. In addition to that, we received an exposure draft of what the appeals process might look like. By the way, here is a piece of paper that will tell you what we think we might put in the recommendations!

Mr Corbell said in this place that it is unprecedented for a government to be required to provide the level of detail that they have provided. I have told the minister-in this place, and in the committee, on a number of occasions and I will recite the litany-of the things that were done by previous governments. When there were substantial legislative changes, this Assembly received, as a whole package on the one day, all the legislation, all the consequential amendments, all the codes of practice and all the regulations.

This was the case when we established the environment protection legislation. The same thing applied with the utilities bill. This is not unprecedented. It has been extremely difficult, in a tight timeframe-admittedly with members overseas-to contemplate the quantity and breadth of this legislation, when it has come in dribs and drabs not only to the committee but to the members of the community who wish to comment on this. They have been forced to come back with supplementary submissions on the stuff that was revealed later in the process.

Mr Speaker, this is why we are seeking an amendment to the reporting date of one week, at a maximum-and you will probably get it on Thursday-so that the report can fully represent the views of the community and the committee. We are working towards having a harmonious report which clearly reflects and discusses, in an adult way, the problems, drawbacks and strengths of this bill, and this package of legislation. If the minister insists on having it today, he will have a dog's breakfast-he will not have a report.

MS GALLAGHER: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to speak, and to move an amendment to the motion moved by Mrs Dunne, regarding the reporting date of the Planning and Environment Committee.

MR SPEAKER: This process is a little untidy, because the debate has been closed.

Mr Humphries: We have not been told about this. She cannot move that motion.

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