Page 3716 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 18 September 2018
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very interesting Senate inquiry which reported recently. I point members to that Senate report, because it contains a lot of interesting policy initiatives. There is perhaps not enough time for me to go into that today. That is a document that I will be looking at closely for initiatives that we might pick up here in the ACT.
There is a role for both state and territory governments and the federal government here. One thing we can do as a territory is take the initiatives we can take and seek to demonstrate good examples that both do our part here in the ACT and show to others what is possible. I commend Ms Le Couteur for raising this matter of public importance today.
Discussion concluded.
Betting Operations Tax Bill 2018
Statement by Speaker
MADAM SPEAKER: Members, earlier today Mr Wall took a point of order on a ruling on an amendment moved by Mr Parton. In his point of order he indicated that consideration should be taken of standing order 201, which provides that a member other than a minister may not move an amendment to a money proposal as specified in standing order 200 if that amendment would increase the amount of public money of the territory to be appropriated. Mr Wall contended that Mr Parton’s amendment did not in any way or form increase the quantum of money appropriated that had been covered off in the appropriation bill and all Mr Parton’s amendment was doing was directing the way in which the tax revenue was to be expended. Mr Wall later emailed me to ask me if any advice had been tabled.
Mr Parton’s amendment to the bill was lodged in the chamber support office at 4.50 yesterday and the bill was listed as executive business No 1 on today’s notice paper. At a regular meeting and a regular briefing I receive from the Clerk before each day’s sitting I was advised that, following consultation with parliamentary counsel and the Solicitor-General, the Clerk was of the view that the amendment to be moved by Mr Parton contravened section 65 of the self-government act, which is replicated in standing order 200. It is also relevant to note that standing order 201A endorses the principles of the financial initiative of the crown.
The betting tax bill, as the name suggests, introduces a tax in relation to betting operations and sets out a description of the liability to pay the tax and the method of calculation. The betting tax bill is law for taxation and thus forms part of what is described as the financial initiative of the crown. As such, proposals for the introduction of the tax are solely at the initiative of the executive.
Section 65 of the Australian Capital Territory Self-Government Act 1988, the self-government act, provides that the enactment of the appropriation of public money may only be proposed in the Assembly by a minister. A member other than a minister may move an amendment to an appropriation bill unless the effect of the amendment is to increase the amount appropriated. The betting tax bill is an enactment for the imposition of a tax and part of the financial initiative of the crown and, thus, may only
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