Page 3665 - Week 12 - Thursday, 25 November 2021

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Thursday, 25 November 2021

MADAM SPEAKER (Ms Burch) (10.01): Members:

Dhawura nguna, dhawura Ngunnawal.

Yanggu ngalawiri, dhunimanyin Ngunnawalwari dhawurawari.

Nginggada Dindi dhawura Ngunnaawalbun yindjumaralidjinyin.

Members, the words I have just spoken are in the language of the traditional custodians and translate to:

This is Ngunnawal country.

Today we are gathering on Ngunnawal country.

We always pay respect to Elders, female and male, and Ngunnawal country.

I ask that now we stand in silence and pray or reflect on our responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

Leave of absence

Motion (by Mr Hanson) agreed to:

That leave of absence be granted to Ms Lee for this sitting due to illness.

Remuneration Tribunal Amendment Bill 2021

Debate resumed from 11 November 2021, on motion by Ms Burch:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MR HANSON (Murrumbidgee) (10.02): The opposition will be supporting this bill today, colloquially known as the Braddock bill. In essence, the bill makes sure that if you have an appointment within this place, you are properly remunerated for it. In this case, the position of the cross-party or small party whip is a position that is not included and there is a view that it should be. I do not know what that amount would be. That is not up to us; that would be up to the tribunal. I think it is fair that that position be looked at by the tribunal to consider whether there is an amount that should be attached to it. The opposition will be supporting this legislation today.

MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (10.03): The Greens will also be supporting this bill today. One of the Latimer House principles is fair remuneration for work undertaken within the parliament. The Remuneration Tribunal Amendment Bill is a small and simple amendment that seeks to implement this principle for the role of the whip who is not the government or opposition whip. It does not automatically grant a pay rise, as Mr Hanson has noted, but it does allow the Remuneration Tribunal, as the apolitical expert body, to carefully consider whether such a whip, who comes from a third or perhaps even fourth or fifth party that may be represented in this place with certain numbers, should be fairly remunerated. Because the role contributes to the smooth operation of our Assembly and performs the same function as our government


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