Page 355 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 February 2013
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to a later date. But I would commend to you, Madam Speaker, and to members of this place, that this illustrates the unworkability of the amendment to standing orders.
We do not want to make an issue of this other than to say: let us have a look at it. It has been tried. The way it has actually worked as we have come up against it, as we have been dealing with legislation and amendments, has caused problems. It is impractical. I would commend the appropriate committee—maybe administration and procedure or members of this place—to look at that amendment and consider whether it is appropriate for the good functioning of this place. But that said, we will be supporting the amendment.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (10.33): Madam Speaker, in the context of this amendment, I note the comments from the Leader of the Opposition in relation to the standing order provisions around notice for amendments of this nature.
Without wanting to labour the point, I think it is appropriate to assert that this standing order is there for good reason. It is there to ensure that members are able to consider the importance and the appropriateness of amendments in time. All too often in this place we have seen amendments generated in an often haphazard and chaotic manner and then put to debate without appropriate time for consideration.
The government’s amendments to the standing orders last year ensured that there was a discipline on all members—the government included—to provide amendments in a timely manner so that these matters can be appropriately considered and not lead to ad hoc or confused amendment making on the floor of this place.
It is a standing order the government stand by. We are prepared to be subject to that discipline and we look forward to seeing the opposition subject to the same discipline when it comes to amendments that they propose to other bills in this place.
Amendment agreed to.
Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.
Bill, as amended, agreed to.
Public Unleased Land Bill 2012
Debate resumed from 27 November 2012, on motion by Mr Rattenbury:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR COE (Ginninderra) (10.35): Whilst the opposition has some reservations about the ability of this bill to cut red tape and to streamline processes as it purports to do, we will be supporting the Public Unleased Land Bill 2012. We were informed by the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services and his directorate that the bill will modernise the Roads and Public Places Act 1937. Things have certainly changed in 75 years, and we agree there is room to upgrade this legislation.
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