Page 5618 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 17 November 2010

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Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988—proposed review

MS PORTER (Ginninderra) (8.27): I move:

That this Assembly supports:

(1) the notion that the people and the parliament of the ACT should have the same rights as Australians living in the States to legislate on their own behalf upon matters within their legislative jurisdiction; and

(2) a comprehensive review of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988, with a view to:

(a) allowing the ACT Legislative Assembly to determine its own size;

(b) removing provisions that allow the Commonwealth to overturn any ACT law through the exercise of Executive fiat; and

(c) making other such amendments necessary to deliver genuine self-government to the people of the ACT, consistent with the democratic rights enjoyed by Australians living in the States.

Today is an opportune time to again discuss the issue of self-government as our federal colleagues are also debating this important matter in the federal parliament. Unfortunately, our colleagues on the hill have got the matter embroiled in the morally sensitive issue of euthanasia. However, this issue is not about personal morals; it is about the nature of our democratic system.

Members will recall that on 17 June last year the Assembly passed a tripartisan motion asserting that it was timely, in the context of 20 years of self-government in the territory, that the ACT and the commonwealth undertake a joint review of the self-government act. It has long been the position of this government and this Assembly that a review of the self-government act is necessary to determine whether the ACT continues to provide the best model of effective, democratic governance in the ACT.

For over 20 years in this place, we have been charged with making laws for peace, order and good governance of the territory—the same kind of legislative power

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