Page 287 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 December 2008
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executive documents are dealt with and whether and when it is appropriate to put such documents on the public record without waiting for an FOI request for disclosure will be considered. I note that the Queensland government is adopting the recommendations of its most recent review to push such documents out into the public arena as a matter of course.
The amendments proposed in this bill are not inconsistent with the operation of FOI legislation in other Australian jurisdictions or, indeed, elsewhere where the Westminster system prevails. It will not remove the transparency of open government but will enhance individual responsibility of ministers by allowing them to be properly and fully informed on all issues. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Ms Hunter) adjourned to the next sitting.
Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee
Scrutiny report 1
MRS DUNNE: I present the following report:
Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee (performing the duties of a Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee)—Scrutiny Report 1, dated 10 December 2008, together with the relevant minutes of proceedings.
I seek leave to make a brief statement.
Leave granted.
MRS DUNNE: Scrutiny report 1 contains the committee’s comments on three bills and eight pieces of subordinate legislation. I commend the report to the Assembly.
Legislative Assembly—committees
Access to records
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (10.56): I move:
That this Assembly authorises officers of the Legislative Assembly Secretariat to have access to the records of all Assembly committees from this and previous Assemblies for the purposes of conducting a review (as part of a project involving the Australian National University’s Parliamentary Studies Centre) of the effectiveness of the committees’ oversight of government statutory appointments processes.
I move this motion in my capacity as the Speaker on behalf of the Legislative Assembly. Members, earlier this year the Assembly Secretariat was asked to participate in some Australian Research Council research being undertaken by the ANU’s Parliamentary Studies Centre. The three-year research project is aimed at strengthening parliamentary institutions and is focused on revising and renewing political science theories of parliamentary capacity building. It is also aimed at improving governmental and non-governmental strategies of democracy assistance through analysis of success and failure in institutional strengthening of parliaments based on lessons arising from the Australian change process.
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