Matters of public importance
—your Assembly @ work
Sitting week—11 to 15 August 2014
Issue 8/2014
Statement of Condolence
On 13 August 2014 the Chief Minister made a
statement of condolence concerning the death of
Moira Lye. The Leader of the Opposition and
Attorney-General also made statements in relation
to Ms Lye.
Government business
Includes all business items presented to the
Assembly by the Executive including bills,
motions, and papers
Bills introduced
Major Events Bill 2014—
This bill will repeal the Major Events Security Act
2000 and replace it with a comprehensive
scheme which will provide for a clear and
predictable system for dealing with major events
so that they can be hosted in a safe and efficient
manner within the Territory (presented
14 August 2014).
Planning and Development (Bilateral
Agreement) Amendment Bill 2014—
This bill will amend the Planning and Development
Act 2007 by including provisions to enable the
ACT to sign up to the Australian Government’s
one stop shop for environmental approvals.
Consequential amendments will also be made to
the Nature Conservation Act 1980 and the Planning
and Development Regulation 2008 (presented
14 August 2014).
Bills debated
Appropriation Bill 2014-2015—
Summary: The purpose of this bill is to
appropriate money for the purposes of the
Territory for the financial year beginning on
1 July 2014.
Proceedings: When debate resumed on the bill on
12 August 2014, it was agreed by the Assembly
to consider the bill together with the
Appropriation (Office of the Legislative
Assembly) Bill 2014 and the Government’s
response to the report by the Select Committee
on Estimates 2014-2015.
The Appropriation Bill 2014-2015 was agreed to
in principle. During the detail stage of the bill,
amendments were moved by the Government
which allowed for the restructure of the
Government’s administrative arrangements due
to the appointment of a sixth minister. Debate
was adjourned on 12 August. Debate continued
on 13 and 14 August 2014.
The bill was passed on 14 August 2014 after a
vote of the Assembly.
Appropriation (Office of the Legislative
Assembly) Bill 2014-2015—
Summary: This bill will appropriate money for
expenditure in relation to the Office of the
Legislative Assembly and officers of the
Assembly for the financial year beginning on
1 July 2014.
Proceedings: This bill was considered together
with the Appropriation Bill 2014-2015 and was
passed by the Assembly on 14 August 2014.
Payroll Tax Amendment Bill 2014—
Private Members’ business
Summary: This bill proposes amendments to the
Payroll Tax Act 2011 to remove the “genuine
employer” exemption provided to employment
agents on wages paid to subcontractors.
Includes all items presented to the Assembly
by all non-Executive Members, including bills
and motions
Proceedings: Debate resumed on the proposed
legislation on 14 August with the Opposition
indicating that they would not support the bill
and outlining their reasons for not doing so.
During debate on the agreement in principle
stage the ACT Greens stated they would be
supporting the bill. The bill was agreed to in
principle after a vote of the Assembly.
During the detail stage an amendment moved by
the Government which sought to amend the
commencement date from 1 July 2014 to
1 January 2015 was agreed to. An amendment
was then moved by the Opposition to change the
commencement date to 1 July 2015. The
Opposition amendment was negatived after a
vote.
Motions debated
Early childhood education was the subject
of a motion moved by Ms Yvette Berry MLA
(Ginninderra—Australian Labor Party) on
13 August 2014. The motion included
highlighting the importance of preschool
education and calling on the Minister for
Education and Training to seek immediate
assurances from the relevant Australian
Government ministers on the continuation of the
National Partnership Agreement on Universal
Access to Early Childhood Education. During
debate both the Opposition and the ACT Greens
spoke to the motion.
The motion was agreed to by the Assembly.
Proceedings: When debate resumed on the bill on
14 August the Opposition indicated that they
would not support the proposed legislation,
however, the ACT Greens stated they would be
supporting the passage of the bill. The bill was
agreed to in principle after a vote.
The proposed sale of ACTTAB was the subject
of a motion moved by Mr Brendan Smyth MLA
(Brindabella—Canberra Liberals) on 13 August
which included a proposal to refer to the ACT
Auditor-General, for review, the ACTTAB sale
process. During debate an amendment was
moved by the Government which removed the
referral proposal and included outlining some of
the conditions of the sale. The amendment also
called on the Government to detail to the
Assembly consequential and transitional
arrangements for employees and the racing
industry as a result of the sale. The proposed
amendment was supported by the ACT Greens
but not the Opposition. The amendment was
passed after a vote.
The Land Tax Amendment Bill 2014 was passed
by the Assembly.
The amended motion was agreed to by the
Assembly.
Legislation (Penalty Units) Amendment
Bill 2014—
A motion relating to the establishment of a single
nature conservation agency within the ACT
was moved by Ms Nicole Lawder MLA
(Brindabella—Canberra Liberals). Terms of the
motion included noting the importance of the
local environment to the well-being of the
people of the ACT and directing the
Government to establish a Nature Conservation
Agency within the Territory and Municipal
Services Directorate.
The amended bill was agreed to by the
Assembly.
Land Tax Amendment Bill 2014—
Summary: This bill will introduce a fixed charge
in the calculation of land tax to begin equalising
the payment of land tax between standard
residential properties and multi-unit dwellings.
Summary: The purpose of this bill is to amend the
Legislation Act 2001 to increase the value of
penalty units that provide the basis for
determining statutory fines.
Proceedings: Debate resumed on the bill on
14 August and it was agreed to in principle.
The bill was passed by the Assembly.
During debate on 13 August an amendment was
moved by the Government which removed the
proposed direction and replaced it with a
proposal to call on the Chief Minister to consider
the establishment of a nature conservation agency
and report to the Assembly by the last sitting day
in 2014 on the deliberations. The ACT Greens
indicated their support for the Government’s
amendment. The amendment was passed by the
Assembly after a vote.
Committee activities
The amended motion was agreed to.
Committee statement
Other motions debated on 13 August 2014
related to:
Planning, Environment and Territory and
Municipal Services
ACT Public service accommodation—
Mr Jeremy Hanson MLA (Molonglo—
Canberra Liberals)
Light rail network project—
Mr Alistair Coe MLA (Ginninderra—
Canberra Liberals)
Committee report presented
Scrutiny Committee
Scrutiny Report 21, dated 11 August 2014
(presented 12 August 2014)
This report contained the committee’s
comments on 174 pieces of subordinate
legislation.
The chair of the committee made a statement on
14 August concerning consideration of statutory
appointments by the committee and presented a
schedule of statutory appointments for the
period 1 January to 30 June 2014.
Government responses
Estimates 2014-2015—Select Committee
Papers presented
The following is a list of papers of interest that
were presented:
Report—Appropriation Bill 2014-2015 and
Appropriation (Office of the Legislative
Assembly) Bill 2014-2015 (presented on
12 August 2014)
Annual Report Directions 2013-2014 (presented
by the Chief Minister on 12 August 2014)
Health, Ageing, Community and Social
Services—Standing Committee
Criminal Justice Statistical Profile—June 2014
quarter (presented by the Attorney-General on
12 August 2014)
Report 2—Inquiry into ACT Public Service
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Employment (presented on 12 August 2014)
Human Rights Audit on the Conditions of
Detention of Women at the Alexander
Maconochie Centre by the ACT Human Rights
and Discrimination Commissioner—
Government response (presented by the Minister for
Corrective Services on 12 August 2014)
Corrigendum to the Government response
(presented by the Minister for Corrective Services
on 14 August 2014)
Report on ACT deaths due to suicide and
information about available front line suicide
prevention and postvention services and support
(presented by the Minister for Health on
12 August 2014)
Speaker’s response
Estimates 2014-2015—Select Committee
Report—Appropriation Bill 2014-2015 and
Appropriation (Office of the Legislative
Assembly) Bill 2014-2015—Recommendations
36 to 41 (presented on 14 August 2014)
Parliamentary education
Education officers have conducted a range of
activities for community groups and school and
college groups throughout August.
At the beginning of August over 70 students in year
11 participated in the annual ACT Schools
Constitutional Convention at the ACT Legislative
Assembly. The convention aims to:
. provide an opportunity for students in to explore
contemporary constitutional issues;
. encourage students to become better informed
about the Australian system of government and
how the Australian Constitution provides the
framework for our democracy;
electoral systems and parliaments and the increase
in size of the Assembly. The High Commissioner
and Deputy High Commissioner of Malaysia
attended the event.
. encourage senior students to take an active
interest in the traditions, processes and practices
of government; and
Community visits to the Assembly featured
prominently during the double sitting weeks of
August. Forty-two members of Canberra Central
Probus Club and Ladies Probus Club of Majura
visited the Assembly to learn more about the
workings of the Assembly. The particular focus of
their visits was to visit Question Time in the
Assembly. The Clerk spoke about how Question
Time operates and the purpose of procedural
documents like the Notice Paper and the Daily
Program.
. allow students to discuss and debate
contemporary Australian political issues.
Held over two days, the ACT Schools
Constitutional Convention is organised
collaboratively by the National Archives of
Australia, the ACT Legislative Assembly, the ACT
Directorate of Education and Training, Museum of
Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House),
the Australian Electoral Commission, and Elections
ACT.
The first day takes place at the National Archives
and Old Parliament House where students learn
about the Constitution and its role as a foundation
document in Australian democracy. Students also
visit the Museum of Australian Democracy for a
historical perspective on constitutional issues, and
take part in a role play on the Franklin River at the
museum. The second day takes place at the ACT
Legislative Assembly where the delegates debate an
issue in the context of constitutional change.
The 2014 convention investigated the
constitutional powers that were the focus of the
Franklin River issues and the role of the
Commonwealth Parliament in legislating for the
environment. The question under consideration
was should the Commonwealth Parliament
have specific powers to legislate for the
environment? Delegates considered a broad range
of arguments for and against the issue and the
question of whether such a change is appropriate
with respect to the views of states and territories.
Delegates also looked at how constitutional change
is affected through Section 128 and the operation
of a referendum.
On 11 May the Education Office hosted a
delegation from Malaysia. Seventeen young
diplomats met with Speaker, Mrs Vicki Dunne
MLA (Ginninderra—Canberra Liberals) and
Deputy Speaker, Ms Mary Porter AM MLA
(Ginninderra—Australian Labor Party), who
explained the many unique features of the
Assembly and the Hark-Clark electoral system.
They then fielded an extensive range of questions
from the young diplomats around comparative
Twenty-six sea scouts from the Ginninderra region
visited the Assembly on 13 August. They were
keen to visit the chamber and, after an explanation
of what happens in the chamber, they attended the
Adjournment Debate. They also watched the film
– One of a Kind – a film about the current
operation of the Assembly, completed a quiz in
groups about the Assembly and finished with a tour
of the Assembly. Feedback from parents and scout
leaders was extremely positive about the nature of
the event, and the scouts said they would like to
return to have a mock debate in the chamber or a
mock election in the Assembly. Dr Chris Bourke
MLA (Ginninderra—Australian Labor Party) and
the Speaker took the opportunity to talk with the
scouts and to answer their questions.
The Assembly will sit again on Tuesday,
16 September 2014.
This document is produced by the Office of the
Legislative Assembly for information.