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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 11 Hansard (26 September) . . Page.. 3318 ..

MR SPEAKER (continuing):

Having examined the proof Hansard record of Tuesday's proceedings, I have concluded that the rhetorical question posed by the Chief Minister could hardly offend the standing order.

Civil law

MR SPEAKER: Further, this morning the Leader of the Opposition raised a point of order concerning the presentation of the Civil Law (Wrongs) Amendment Bill 2002. From memory, the substance of the query raised by the Leader of the Opposition was whether it was in order to introduce an amending bill whilst the bill for the principal act was still before the Assembly.

Whilst it may be unusual for an amending bill to be introduced in the Assembly in this manner, I do not believe it contravenes the standing orders of the Assembly. It is quite common, for example, for bills containing consequential provisions to be introduced, in the expectation that an earlier bill would be passed by the Assembly.

I note the point that it may be possible for the government to move amendments to the Civil Law (Wrongs) Bill. However, nothing in the standing orders or practice of the Assembly precludes the government from taking the course it has.

As with consequential provisions bills, it would be expected that the principal bill would be considered by the Assembly prior to the Assembly considering the amendment bill.

Health and Community Care-Standing Committee

Report No 4-government response

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for Women) (3.24): Mr Speaker, for the information of the members I present the following paper:

Health and Community Care-Standing Committee (Fourth Assembly)-Report No 11-Elder abuse in the ACT (presented 21 August 2001)-Government response.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

I am pleased to table today the government's response to this report. The response is a wide-ranging one and incorporates the strategies and actions required to address the many issues surrounding elder abuse in the ACT.

I want to take the opportunity to thank members of the former Standing Committee on Health and Community Care for their work on the elder abuse inquiry, namely Mr Bill Wood, Mr Dave Rugendyke, Mrs Jacqui Burke and Mr Harold Hird. I congratulate them on the detailed community consultation they conducted.

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