Page 3057 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 July 2010
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Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee
Statement by chair
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (11.26): Pursuant to standing order 246A, I wish to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety performing the duties of a scrutiny of bills and subordinate legislation committee.
At the beginning of the Seventh Assembly, members agreed to a new temporary order governing the scrutiny of government amendments to government bills. One year on, following discussion within the committee, the operation of the temporary order was referred to the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure. In response, the scrutiny committee received correspondence from the chair of the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure, including a submission from the Clerk and a discussion paper from the ACT Greens.
Consequently, this committee—that is, the scrutiny committee—has agreed, as a service to members, to encourage members to submit all amendments to all bills for the committee’s consideration. This will be in addition to receiving and considering all government amendments to government bills as provided for by temporary order 182A. The committee stresses that reference to the committee is voluntary and that it sees this new arrangement as a service to members.
Members are advised that such amendments should be new—that is, not arising out of a previous scrutiny report—and should fall within the purview of the committee’s terms of reference. As per the existing protocol, amendments should be submitted for the committee’s consideration at least 14 calendar days prior to the day proposed for further consideration of the bill. The committee proposes this as a trial and invites members to avail themselves of this service should they so choose. The committee proposes, in the interests of giving this arrangement a fair trial, that it should continue until the end of the Seventh Assembly.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella): This is an important time for members in this chamber. We have seen movements since I have been here where all bills are considered by the scrutiny of bills—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Le Couteur): Excuse me one minute, Mr Hargreaves. I believe you have to seek leave.
MR HARGREAVES: I seek leave to address the statement.
Leave granted.
MR HARGREAVES: Thank you very much, Madam Assistant Speaker, and I thank members.
It is important that we recognise the point where we are at in the development of this Assembly. When I first came in here, the only bills considered by the scrutiny of bills and subordinate legislation committee were government ones. In fact, the subordinate
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