Page 806 - Week 03 - Thursday, 2 April 2020
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There is zero transparency written into the proposed legislation as it stands. Canberrans deserve to have every confidence that government decisions throughout this crisis, whether they relate to the coronavirus or not, are appropriately scrutinised. Today, we have already agreed to establish an Assembly committee, but we need to go further.
I note that the Chief Minister has cited an example of bipartisanship—a Labor Chief Minister working with a Liberal Prime Minister. Bipartisanship must extend to this chamber as well. It means making sure that we have some input into stimulus measures and are able to provide our thoughts on stimulus measures in advance. It means getting legislation much earlier than 18 hours before it is introduced into the Assembly. It means simply picking up the phone or sending an email and asking what the opposition thinks about something. It is not hard. Some ministers have done a good job, but there are others who certainly have not.
We are living through a pretty extraordinary period, and there is no doubt that what is taking place is having a big impact on the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canberrans. We need to make sure that everything is proportionate, that everything is evidence based and that there is scrutiny and transparency. I look forward to the Assembly’s support.
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (4.35): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name:
Omit 2A(1)(b).
The amendment I move seeks to remove section 2A(1)(b) of the amendment moved by Mr Coe, which is quite a vague requirement of the impact of the measure. I think removing that section gives a little more clarity about the sorts of information that the government would provide.
I need to put on the record that it would not be the government’s intention, every time a court uses one of the new evidence provisions contained within the amendment or every time a leave permit is given to a young detainee, to report that. We could report that the provision had been used, but I would not envisage providing potentially hundreds of reports on each individual instance. I need to be clear that we will interpret this as providing a summary, not providing a report on every single instance in the case of those provisions. Clearly, through the committee process and other reporting mechanisms these measures will be the subject of considerable interest and scrutiny.
Of course it is important that there is scrutiny of these measures. I do not think it gives anyone any comfort; no-one wants to be in the position of having to have these measures in place. It is not the government’s choice that we are facing a once in a century pandemic. We are not debating this legislation because we really want to impose these sorts of restrictions on people. I have been very clear in saying that I hope none of the extreme measures that have been put in place by Australian
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