Page 2676 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 6 June 2012
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For example, at the moment it is not clear exactly what is and is not an anonymous donation, but the commission could probably apply the limitation only to donations of up to $1,000, which is clearly not what the Assembly intended but is nevertheless the reality of the act we are left with. So having provided that advice, the commission will be forced to issue new advice to participants if we do not correct the error before the 1 July start date.
In presenting this bill let me be clear that the Greens accept our share of the responsibility for the errors that we are addressing in the bill. The reality is that, given the nature of the previous debate and the uncertainty around the outcomes, it was not possible to get everything right at the time. I think we all recognised then that this would be the case during the debate. This bill is not an occasion to revisit the substantive policy issues debated in the last electoral bill; rather, it is simply an administrative exercise to ensure that we have a properly functioning scheme that creates the fewest possible difficulties for candidates, parties and the Electoral Commission.
The Greens think that resolving these issues is urgent—that to leave it to the August sitting would be too late and that to have to amend the act in the middle of the campaign proper would not be a good outcome. It is important that we resolve these issues during this sitting and so I indicated to both parties last week when I provided them with an advance copy of the bill that we intend to move to debate the bill during this sitting.
Debate (on motion by Mr Corbell) adjourned to the next sitting.
Environment and Construction Occupations Legislation (Wood Heaters) Amendment Bill 2012
Exposure draft
MS BRESNAN (Brindabella), by leave: I present the following papers:
Environment and Construction Occupations Legislation (Wood Heaters) Amendment Bill 2012—
Exposure draft.
Addressing Wood Heater Pollution in the ACT—Consultation Paper, dated 1 June 2012.
I seek leave to make a statement in relation to the papers.
Leave granted.
MS BRESNAN: This exposure draft legislation and the discussion paper are about reducing wood smoke pollution in Canberra. The ACT Greens have introduced this legislation because we are concerned about wood smoke pollution. We want to reduce the pollution, and the corresponding health and environmental problems, and ensure a clean and healthy future for Canberra.
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