Page 720 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 8 March 2016
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Madam Speaker, I thank my family for the support they have offered me in the course of my journey that has led to my election and the opportunities the Assembly offers to me to contribute. I thank my supporters for their rock solid trust they have had and the enthusiasm they have displayed in getting me here. Most importantly, to the people of Belconnen and Gungahlin, whom I represent, I thank you for the trust you have placed in me to represent you. I will be driven by that trust every day as I go about my work in the Legislative Assembly and prove myself worthy.
I would like to finish by giving an undertaking, but it requires some explanation because an undertaking for a lawyer has a whole different meaning to the common usage. I see the Chief Justice nodding. My first job out of law school was working for three years for Chris Macphillamy in Manuka. Chris is a very savvy and clever commercial lawyer and I learned a lot from him.
Regarding undertakings, Chris’s advice was that at all costs avoid giving an undertaking when acting for a client because an undertaking for a lawyer is accepting personal responsibility for something you say is going to happen. You become personally liable for anything that follows. His advice continued—rarely would you give one on behalf of a client, almost never on behalf of the firm and never, ever personally.
It was and is good advice, which today I will ignore, Madam Speaker. In that context, I give to the electors of Belconnen and Gungahlin my solemn undertaking that I will fearlessly champion their interests and those of Canberra and the ACT to the best of my ability. And when I leave this place, the territory will be a better place than when I arrived. Thank you.
Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee
Scrutiny report 42
MR DOSZPOT (Molonglo): I present the following report:
Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee (Legislative Scrutiny Role)—Scrutiny Report 42, dated 1 March 2016, together with the relevant minutes of proceedings.
I seek leave to make a brief statement.
Leave granted.
MR DOSZPOT: Scrutiny report 42 contains the committee’s comments on seven bills, six pieces of subordinate legislation, two national regulations and seven government responses. The committee has considered two national laws for this scrutiny report—the Education and Care Services National Amendment Regulations 2015 (2015 No 804) and the Heavy Vehicle National Amendment Regulation (2015 No 824). I would like to take this opportunity to record the committee’s concern about some ongoing issues arising from the consideration of national laws by the committee and, in particular, the absence of explanatory statements for national laws.
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