Page 4934 - Week 15 - Thursday, 15 December 2005
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Mr Stefaniak: I don’t think it has been circulated.
MR STANHOPE: I beg members’ pardon for that. I will circulate the motion.
Leave granted.
MR STANHOPE: I move:
That:
(1) the exposure draft of the Terrorism (Extraordinary Temporary Powers) Bill 2005 be referred to the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs for inquiry and report;
(2) the Committee report by 28 February 2006; and
(3) if the Assembly is not sitting when the Committee has completed its inquiry, the Committee may send its report to the Speaker, or in the absence of the Speaker, to the Deputy Speaker who is authorised to give directions for its printing, publishing and circulation.
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra) (3.38): Mr Speaker, I will speak briefly to the motion. I note the numbers and I note that this matter will be referred to my committee. It is my understanding that every other state and territory, except Victoria, has already introduced, debated and passed its complementary anti-terrorism legislation. On behalf of the opposition, I want to put on the record that the opposition has a very significant concern that, unless Victoria does something which delays its legislation even further, we will be the last state or territory to have this complementary legislation in place within the time frame.
I understand that the committee will look at the bill and report by the end of February at the latest and then the legislation will be introduced and passed by March. I have no problem with that late time frame. I do not think my committee has any problem with trying to report by February. We have already looked at dates with this in mind. But I stress that the opposition has great concerns that, as the last state or territory to pass this legislation, we are left in a somewhat exposed position compared to other states, especially as our surrounding state of New South Wales has already introduced, debated and passed terrorism legislation. So I have put the opposition’s position on the record. Wearing my hat as committee chair, I say that we will certainly be trying to look at this. We have set aside dates and we would be keen to report by February.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Papers
Mr Stanhope presented the following papers:
Recognition of same sex relationships in the ACT—Report on public consultation.
Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002—Review of the operation of certain provisions.
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