Page 143 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 26 February 2014
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(2) the implementation of the proposal continues to be currently under consideration by government; and
(3) that the timing for administrative changes is at the discretion of the Chief Minister.”.
The amendment notes that the debate in the Assembly occurred, that the implementation of the proposal continues to be considered by government and that the timing for any administrative changes is at the discretion of the Chief Minister. But I will tell the Assembly that I am looking to align that with the appointment of the sixth minister.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo—Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Housing, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and Minister for Ageing) (10.57): I will make my remarks brief. I largely want to observe that, as is obviously the case, I still support the notion of a single conservation agency. Ms Lawder touched on some of the reasons why that is a good idea. Certainly in the debate last year I spoke about the relative benefits of it. Having a single or integrated conservation agency will deliver better outcomes for the environment. It will see a better sharing of expertise and, I believe, better use of resources. That is why it is in the parliamentary agreement. That is why, when I spoke with the Labor Party about that, we agreed that this is the right outcome.
It has taken some time and some discussion, but it is also quite a complicated conversation. What I can assure members of is that even when staff are currently formally sitting in different agencies, I know that there is a strong working relationship there. That the staff from, for example, Parks and Conservation Service in the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate as well as the staff in Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate speak regularly. I note they have close working relationships.
I think we can improve that and we can achieve that through a single conservation agency, but there is work going on to work out what that will best look like and to delineate some of the responsibilities. I have seen some of the work that has been done on that. It is actually very detailed. I am comfortable with the Chief Minister’s view that she has just put that this will be resolved as part of the realignment of administrative arrangements with the appointment of the sixth minister.
I think it does make sense to do these things in one go rather than by some sort of trickle effect. So I am supportive of that view that she has just put. I look forward to the Assembly being provided with an update on exactly what this is going to look like, but I will be supporting the Chief Minister’s amendment today.
MADAM SPEAKER: Ms Lawder, are you rising to speak on the amendment, to close the debate, or both?
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (10.59): Both, Madam Speaker. As the Chief Minister mentioned, we all support the principle of a single nature conservation agency. As
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