Page 619 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 4 July 1989

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ADMINISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1989

Debate resumed from 29 June, on motion by Ms Follett:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (3.44): Mr Speaker, I moved the adjournment on this matter the other day because I had only the Administration (Amendment) Bill in front of me, and I had no information as to what was being amended or what its purpose was and what its effects were to be. Having now obtained a copy of the Bill that is being amended and being able to see just what the amendment relates to, I have no objection whatsoever to the amendment being proposed, and I need say nothing further on the subject

MR COLLAERY (3.45): Mr Speaker, I mirror the comments of my colleague Mr Kaine. The Administration (Amendment) Bill is a machinery amendment, on my reading of it. It moves some delegations around. My only comment to the Assembly is that delegated power has often been misused in the past, and no doubt the Chief Minister has enjoined her senior officials to ensure that delegations are reviewed on a set period basis, as they are in a number of bureaucracies in Australia. It is a rolling program, a review of delegations and a review of those dealing with the delegations. One would hope that the procedure is already under way; I have not had time, Mr Speaker, to determine whether it is. But the review of delegations, given the very wide powers that flow down from Ministers, should take place regularly and should ensure that delegated powers do not extend to issues which can affect the performance by officials of functions that involve quasi-judicial powers and decision making, such as on merit review matters, until those persons granted delegation are adequately trained in those delegated functions.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

PUBLIC TRUSTEE (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS)
(AMENDMENT) BILL 1989