Page 3246 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 23 August 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
disability; or Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples—the ABS makes reference to working with state and territory government officials to ensure that people have the opportunity to participate in the survey. They also specifically reference, in the case of people experiencing homelessness, that they will work with homeless service providers and community organisations.
An interesting addition to the process now, according to the ABS website, is that we are introducing the concept of a proxy vote in the voluntary non-binding postal survey. If a person cannot access their survey form or complete it independently, they can authorise someone else to fill it out for them. We are now in the position where you can proxy your voluntary non-binding postal survey to someone else. You need to specifically authorise the trusted person to open the postal survey envelope on your behalf and to communicate your response to the trusted person so that they can accurately fill it out for you. The trusted person would then seal the form in the reply-paid envelope and post it back to the ABS.
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to say that I am prepared to act as a trusted person for anyone who wants to vote yes in the non-binding voluntary postal survey. Should anyone wishing to vote yes not have someone they trust to vote yes on their behalf, I am happy, as Chief Minister of the territory, to be a trusted person in those circumstances. I do not think anyone would doubt how I will vote in the survey. Should anyone trust me to do so on their behalf through the proxy vote process, I will be very happy to do so.
Personal explanation
MS LAWDER (Brindabella): I seek leave to make a brief personal statement under standing order 46.
MADAM SPEAKER: You believe you have been misrepresented?
MS LAWDER: I believe that many people have been misrepresented. It is in relation to what I thought were extremely non-inclusive remarks by the Chief Minister in relation to postal votes. Many people with a disability—such as people with an intellectual disability or a brain injury, for example, amongst many other types—have, by longstanding tradition, had someone else fill in a proxy vote for them. For a Chief Minister who prides himself on his inclusivity, I am quite horrified by the remarks that he has made today.
Supplementary answers to questions without notice
Public housing—maintenance
MS BERRY: Last week, on 16 August, I stated that the new public housing maintenance contract would begin on 1 July 2018. In fact, it will begin on 1 October 2018.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you. And Ms Lawder, even though I gave you the time to make your comments, I do not think that they were really applicable under standing order 46. You could have used another forum to make your statements.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video