Page 507 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MR SPEAKER: Supplementary, Ms Bresnan.
MS BRESNAN: Minister, has there been consideration of changes being made to the Residential Tenancies Act or should completely new legislation be drafted specifically which deals with caravan parks?
Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, on a point of order, I would ask you to rule whether Ms Bresnan’s question is asking the minister to announce policy.
MR SPEAKER: I do not believe that to be the case. I think the minister has the latitude to answer the question without announcing government policy, just by a commonsense reading of the question.
Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, the question was: does the government propose to change the Residential Tenancies Act? This is not something that has been announced. If the minister is considering doing that, it is clearly an announcement of government policy, and the standing orders clearly do not allow us to ask the minister about issues of government policy, under standing order 117(c)(ii).
Mr Hargreaves: On the point of order, Mr Speaker, my hearing of the question from Ms Bresnan was: has the government given consideration to an issue? If the government is giving consideration to an issue—it is only the conclusion of that consideration which is a policy statement, not whether or not consideration is being given.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan, you did use the words “have they given consideration to”? Yes?
MS BRESNAN: Yes; I did actually say “had the government given consideration”. That was my question.
MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order then. Minister, the question, thank you.
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Bresnan for the supplementary. Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, as well as a stand-alone piece of legislation, have been given consideration.
MS HUNTER: A supplementary.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Hunter.
MS HUNTER: Minister, what appeal rights are currently in place for people living in private caravan parks if the park owner decides to evict them?
MR CORBELL: Can I get some clarification in relation to that question? Appeal rights? You mean in terms of statutory review through the ACAT? Is that what you are referring to?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video