Page 3967 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 12 December 2006
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At this point, in closing debate on the in-principle stage, I acknowledge again that there was a delay in circulating amendments to members. I will happily support an adjournment so that we can consider this matter at a later hour today.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail stage
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
Debate (on motion by Mr Barr) adjourned to a later hour.
University of Canberra Amendment Bill 2006
Debate resumed from 23 November 2006, on motion by Mr Barr:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (11.45): The opposition will be supporting this bill which alters the governance arrangements for the University of Canberra and, in doing so, reduces the membership of the University of Canberra Council from 22 to 15 members. The cuts will fall mainly in the area of those members formally appointed by the Chief Minister and also effectively reduces the number of academic staff on the council by one member.
These amendments create a clearer process for the Chief Minister’s appointments to the University of Canberra Council. I hope that that will mean that the full quota of people that can be appointed by the Chief Minister will be appointed. In the past we have had a situation where there have been many vacancies on the University of Canberra Council because the Chief Minister did not seem to be able to get his act together.
The bill also reduces the total period for which a member can be a member of the council from 12 to nine years. It is not a good thing to have people serving on boards and committees for such lengthy periods as 12 years. It does not allow for the introduction of new blood, and this development is welcomed by the opposition.
It is necessary to pass this legislation this year because some of the requirements in the legislation are requirements of the federal government on which federal government funding is dependent. We would not wish to be in the position of standing in the way of one of Canberra’s important tertiary education institutions receiving well deserved funding. The opposition will be supporting the bill.
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (11.47): This bill amends the University of Canberra Act to ensure that the council is more consistent with other councils of universities around Australia and that the head of the academic board is a professor of the university. It
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