Page 3720 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 24 August 2011
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In summary, I look forward to discussing this bill with the government and the Canberra Liberals. I know that the government might want to raise issues around the government housing scheme and some process issues. But I feel sure that if other parties in this place engage with it in a meaningful way they will realise that this is something that should be done.
Indeed, it is hard to justify not taking action, we believe, based on the evidence. Certainly, renters across Canberra will thank the Assembly if we pass this bill and create minimum standards to protect those renters in Canberra. We do not believe that it is fair on renters that some properties are nearly impossible to heat in winter or to cool in summer, or are vulnerable to burglary. But equally, I do not feel that it is fair on those landlords who do have decent properties out there and who are having to compete with the lower standard properties in the market.
In passing this bill we have the opportunity to provide environmental benefits for this city, to tackle cost of living issues and to ensure, I guess, a basic standard of decency that we as an Assembly are saying we expect members of our community to live in. That is what this bill is about and I commend it to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Corbell) adjourned to the next sitting.
Crimes (Penalties) Amendment Bill 2011
Debate resumed from 29 June 2011, on motion by Mrs Dunne:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
Motion (by Mr Corbell) proposed:
That debate be adjourned.
Standing and temporary orders—suspension
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (10.50): I move:
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent debate on the motion to adjourn debate being debated.
It is important that we suspend standing and temporary orders today to allow us to debate why this matter should be adjourned. This matter has been on foot for two months and all members of this place have been warned on a number of occasions that it was the intention of the Canberra Liberals to bring this matter on. It becomes quite clear that the attorney claims, through the whip at admin and procedure yesterday, that the government is not ready to debate this bill. But at the same time the government has introduced legislation in exactly the same space in almost exactly the same terms. It seems to beggar belief that they could come to a cabinet decision about that and not come to a view about the Canberra Liberals’ bill. It is quite clear that the government wants to stymie the Canberra Liberals in their attempts to deal with their legislation in a timely way because they do not want to deal with the Canberra Liberals’ legislation.
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