Page 544 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 February 2020
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
And that is exactly the case here. The Greens have not fully considered those unintended consequences. They have not thought this through and considered the detail, which is why we have a situation today, which is unprecedented certainly in my recollection from my time in the Assembly, where a bill is not going to be enacted for two years after debate in this place.
We support the concept, as I said, of what is trying to be achieved but, as I mentioned, I think it is quite likely that whoever wins government in October is going to have to come back with something in this place, a legislative instrument of one sort or another, to fix this mess up. It is not a good way to do legislation if you have got to delay something by two years. It is hard to argue any differently. Other than our accepting the principle, the fact is that this will be delayed here. I see that little has been achieved other than grandstanding by the Greens.
Notwithstanding that, we support the principle and we will support the amendments that certainly enact that very necessary delay and go some way towards sorting this mess out. But I think that it is disappointing that we find ourselves in a situation where we will be passing legislation with so many unthought through consequences that are going to create a range of work which is likely to anticipate our coming back into this place to sort this Greens mess out at a later date.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (5.39), in reply: I thank the two previous speakers for their support, even if it was measured support. The bill I have presented provides a clear and transparent process for dealing with infringement notices. It will ensure that the payment system for infringement notice offences can take into account the circumstances of people who have been issued with infringement notices and who are on low incomes or otherwise disadvantaged. It simply allows for more flexible fine payment options for people who are struggling financially.
While I recognise that infringement notices exist for a reason, alternative payment options can make a big difference to people who are struggling. Indeed, for some people the impact of an infringement notice penalty can be catastrophic. For most of us, certainly for all of us in this chamber, paying a fine on time is annoying but achievable and a fairly straightforward chore.
The scheme I am proposing recognises what every member of this Assembly already knows: there are a proportion of people in Canberra who are genuinely struggling. They may be living in poverty, with illness, with disability or have other issues. They may have just lost their job. This bill provides a legislative response for situations where such people are issued with an infringement notice. By implementing a fairer fine system we can avoid entrenching poverty in our city while enforcing our laws and still changing behaviour.
If this bill is enacted, Canberrans who receive simple offence notices could apply to pay their fines in instalments rather than all at once, participate in approved community work or a social development plan in lieu of a fine or have an infringement penalty waived if the nature of the offence and circumstances justifies such a waiver—for example, if someone forgot to tap on when boarding light rail and
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video