Page 749 - Week 03 - Thursday, 2 April 2020
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This is an incredibly complex area of private law. What is being proposed here are powers that the government would not, under usual circumstances, contemplate. However, these extraordinary times are calling for extraordinary measures.
As I have said previously, and it needs to be repeated today, everyone is going to wear some pain here—governments, landlords, tenants and the banks. There is simply no way of fixing what is a very complex set of private contractual arrangements without every sector of our economy shouldering the load.
Finally, this bill amends the Financial Management Act 1996 to ensure that the Treasurer can authorise necessary payments under the Treasurer’s advance provisions where it is necessary to deal with matters arising from the public health emergency.
It is important to put on the record that what we are introducing today is not a new normal. These amendments are designed to sunset, which means they will be phased out once our community and our economy begin to recover from this public health emergency. The government has also undertaken to ensure that any future regulations dealing with the COVID-19 crisis will be provided to the Assembly scrutiny committee at least 48 hours in advance.
Everyone in this chamber, and indeed all Canberrans, should recognise our intention to act sensibly, judiciously and pragmatically to protect our community and its institutions during this difficult time, whilst also ensuring that we are best placed to make a strong recovery on the other side of this crisis.
I foreshadow that these are unlikely to be the last legislative amendments needed during this public health emergency. The national cabinet meets frequently. The situation is changing, and we will continue to seek to take a nationally consistent approach, and an approach that is in alignment with New South Wales as much as possible, to ensure that we are best placed to respond effectively in this crisis to the needs not only of the ACT but of the broader Canberra region.
This city has an incredibly important role to play nationally and for our region during this period. I commend this bill to the Assembly. I thank all members for their input and cooperation in the development of this bill and look forward to its debate later today.
Debate (on motion by Mr Coe) adjourned to the next sitting.
Standing orders—suspension
Motion (by Mr Gentleman) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent orders of the day Nos 1, 2 and 3, Executive business, being called on and debated forthwith.
Appropriation Bill 2019-2020 (No 2)
Debate resumed from 13 February 2020, on motion by Mr Barr:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
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