Page 3467 - Week 09 - Thursday, 20 August 2009
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Embryo Research Licensing Committee—report
Paper and statement by minister
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Treasurer, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Services and Minister for Women): For the information of members, I present the following paper:
Human Cloning and Embryo Research Act, pursuant to section 50—National Health and Medical Research Council—Embryo Research Licensing Committee—Report to the Parliament of Australia for the period 1 October 2008 to 31 March 2009, dated June 2009.
I ask leave to make a short statement in relation to the paper.
Leave granted.
MS GALLAGHER: Under section 50 of the Human Cloning and Embryo Research Act, the licensing committee must prepare and give the ACT Minister for Health reports on the operation of the act and the licences issued under the act during that year as soon as practicable after the end of each quarterly reporting period. According to the reporting requirements of the Human Cloning and Embryo Research Act, the Minister for Health must present a copy of the NHMRC’s licensing committee report to the Legislative Assembly within six sitting days after receipt of the report.
Legislative Assembly—ministerial code of conduct
Discussion of matter of public importance
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Burch): Mr Speaker has received letters from Ms Bresnan, Ms Burch, Mr Coe, Mr Doszpot, Mrs Dunne, Mr Hanson, Ms Hunter, Ms Le Couteur, Ms Porter, Mr Seselja and Mr Smyth proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, Mr Speaker has determined that the matter proposed by Mr Doszpot be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The importance of the code of conduct for ministers.
MR DOSZPOT (Brindabella) (3.11): The matter of public importance I have brought to this place today is a cornerstone for the business we conduct here and an essential tool and guideline as ministers pursue their day-to-day duties. A code of conduct governing ministers was tabled by the then Chief Minister, Kate Carnell, on 2 May 1995. In her tabling speech Ms Carnell noted that the code is applicable to the immediate families or close relatives of ministers and ministerial staff employed under the Legislative Assembly (Members’ Staff) Act 1989. A revised ministerial code was tabled. On 25 August 2005 the Legislative Assembly voted to adopt the code of conduct for all members of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory. This is a document that all of the ministers have signed up to.
We in the opposition and our colleagues on the crossbenches often refer to the ministerial code of conduct when debating issues in this place, and it is mostly done to
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