Page 82 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 9 December 2008
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and, in fact, this morning endorsed. The committee system is in a process of change and there is a new atmosphere of collaboration between the executive and non-executive and between parties.
This agreement also lists an extensive policy program, which we will work with Labor to implement over the term of the Seventh Assembly. It includes measures such as a library in the inner south; legislated climate change targets for the ACT; an improved bus service; small business impact assessments for new large commercial developments and ensuring access to swimming and water survival skills for all primary school students.
The policy program shows the ACT Greens’ commitment to not only a more sustainable Canberra but also a more equitable one. Clearly, the election of four MLAs has presented the ACT Greens with an enormous opportunity. We have no doubt that today as a party we have taken an important step. We are here to effect change in how politics is done and how decisions are made and to work constructively with all MLAs.
The ACT Greens will achieve much more for Canberra on the crossbench. I am confident the government and our agreement with the government will achieve much for many in Canberra.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition), by leave: I want to say a few words about the agreement. As the Deputy Chief Minister pointed out, we have read it from cover to cover.
My first point is a procedural one, and perhaps one of the signatories to the agreement, given it has been tabled, can clarify the amendment that was made to the agreement. It seems to indicate that it was made on the same day as the agreement. I doubt that that is correct. Perhaps one of the signatories to that agreement could clarify when that amendment was actually made.
I think there are a number of good things in this agreement. We obviously believe that there was a better offer on the table that the Greens could have taken up, but they chose not to. Nonetheless, there are some good things and there are some things to commend in this agreement.
We believe in parliamentary reform. We believe that a number of the changes to the standing orders which were passed today will help scrutiny. Hopefully, down the track we can go further with some of those, particularly question time reforms. There are some initial reforms that are directly relevant, and I refer members to the trial that took place recently in the Senate in relation to question time. I think there were some good things to come from that in relation to the length of questions and also the number of supplementaries.
We also believe in strengthening the resources of the Assembly and the committee system. The committee system plays a crucial role in keeping governments to account, and we will play a very active role in that. It is not clear to us why the Greens are taking the lion’s share of committee chairs as being more accountable than opposition members. Nonetheless, that is the agreement that we have.
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