Page 2540 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 June 2011
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will have to assume that the Assembly is not going to extend the reporting date and it will move to proceed to prepare the report for printing.
Mrs Dunne: We could do this next week, on Tuesday.
MR CORBELL: I am advised that the commission cannot wait until Tuesday. The reason for that is that the commission has to proceed and if it is to meet its reporting date, it must put certain steps in train early next week, on Monday in fact, to go to print with what it has, to ensure that it meets the reporting date, because it cannot take the chance that the Assembly will change its mind and permit it to report later. So we have to take this decision tonight and not adjourn the debate. We have to conclude it one way or the other so that the commission knows what it has to do and what steps it has to take.
In relation to the matter of privilege, I am unclear what the status of the report would be in relation to the privileges granted by this place but the commission does have certain protections in place in relation to reports it produces under its act. The extent and the range of those I am not in a position to advise the Assembly on tonight but, as is the case in relation to any report produced by the commission, there are protections granted to the commission in relation to reports it produces.
But beyond that point, I am not going to venture an opinion. I would need to seek further advice on that. But I do not believe that this is such a substantive matter as to delay the report and indeed, if there is a need to subsequently determine the matter of privilege, the Assembly has an opportunity next week to make some decisions about that and determine how, if there is a need for additional protections, they can be dealt with when the Assembly reconvenes next week.
Friday, 24 June 2011
MR CORBELL: Obviously we will have a full month to determine that question, should the Assembly agree to my motion to adjust the reporting date. So I would not accept Mrs Dunne’s argument as a reason for deferring this decision. The fact is it is in the interests of everybody that the commission be given more time to complete its report so that its report is complete, comprehensive, considered and has regard to the important comments from agencies who have been scrutinised by the commission and on which commentary has been made by the commission in a draft report. I think this is the only sensible way to proceed with this matter.
MS HUNTER (Ginninderra—Parliamentary Convenor, ACT Greens) (12.02 am): I am pleased to hear that we are close to having outcomes for the young people and staff at Bimberi. At times this has been a difficult journey and while I keenly await the outcomes, I am not surprised that we are here with this motion before us. I understand that this is a large report and we will be supporting this motion for a one-month extension. We believe that giving extra time will allow the commissioner to produce a more polished report and will allow for agencies to provide comment on the draft report, which of course is very important for that final report. As with any document of this magnitude, an important, adequate time to ensure that the input provided by
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