Page 2051 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994
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remember that all penalties are maximum penalties. Whereas it might be inappropriate to fine a boy scout $5,000 for selling cookies door to door, it would be appropriate in certain circumstances to fine somebody who repeatedly and egregiously breached this law in a manner of that kind.
Madam Speaker, the point that was made by correspondents to the Canberra Times and others about this whole change is that there is a need for some level of, as it were, advertising of how the penalty principles applied in legislation would affect the way in which certain fines are imposed. Indeed, the explanatory memorandum which the Attorney-General presented at the time contained an addendum entitled "The Penalty Review Principles". These principles were applied, more or less, in the application of the changes made in the schedule to the Bill. The committee's view was that, in fact, these principles were quite important and ought to be publicised, especially by having them actually incorporated in the legislation as a preamble. Madam Speaker, that will go some way towards giving people some idea of the basis on which the Government and the Assembly as a whole are applying certain penalties.
Madam Speaker, a number of other pieces of legislation within the schedule to the Bill are affected by changes upon which the committee has commented. I think that the Assembly will need to consider those when it comes to debating this Bill at the detail stage. I acknowledge that there will be debate about some of those points, but the Assembly can debate them at the appropriate time. It is usual to thank the committee secretary when one is presenting a report of this kind. I wish to thank our temporary secretary, Mr Power, who provided some assistance in the preparation of this report; but the report, in fact, was prepared in the absence of a permanent secretary by the committee itself. I, therefore, want to thank particularly my secretary, and my wife, who typed up this report for me, not having any particular assistance to do that. Madam Speaker, I commend this report to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Grassby) adjourned.
ADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURES - STANDING COMMITTEE
Report on Standing Orders 200 and 201
MADAM SPEAKER: I present a report of the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedures entitled Standing Orders 200 and 201.
Motion (by Mr Berry) agreed to:
That the report be adopted.
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