Page 2168 - Week 07 - Thursday, 7 August 2014

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I would like to specifically point out their work in Australia and across the world in assisting refugees and newly arrived migrants. As we know, refugees settling in Australia face a long, hard road with many barriers and conditions placed on them before being able to fully join in our community life. I know the local Red Cross, in strong partnership with the ACT government, does a great job of supporting them, with housing, basic human rights services and resettlement support at a time when the actions of the federal government seem designed to compound existing disadvantage.

On a national level, we all rely on the Red Cross to be there on the ground as soon as disaster strikes. From Brisbane to Canberra to Hobart, the Red Cross disaster relief and recovery are available to help members of the affected community. They also play a strong official partnership role with local governments and the relevant disaster recovery plans for that area. Internationally, the Australian Red Cross, in cooperation with its partner agencies, has been sending volunteers and staff to wherever they are needed. I know that when I think of the complete devastation of the Boxing Day tsunami. No doubt, we can all recall the Red Cross advertisements calling on the generosity of Australians to help with both the immediate crisis and the longer term rebuilding.

We, as a society, need agencies like the Red Cross to give an expression to the positives we have to offer, a channel for our compassion, generosity and desire to live in a better, fairer world. I thank them for this work, and as we celebrate 100 years, I am sure we will be thanking them again in the future. From ensuring the raw and terrible memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are never forgotten, to ensuring that our senior citizens are not forgotten, the Red Cross is essential agency for a world that is still struggling with conflict, injustice and humans rights abuses. I conclude by simply thanking them for their significant contributions.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Auditor-General Amendment Bill 2014

Debate resumed from 5 June 2014, on motion by Ms Gallagher:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (10.57): The Canberra Liberals will be agreeing to the Auditor-General Amendment Bill 2014. It is simply a machinery bill that clarifies the consultation period required to be undertaken by the Auditor-General when she delivers a draft version of a report. The act as it currently stands could be taken to mean that every time she consults on a draft she has to have 14 days consultation. Therefore, if she revises a draft there is another 14 days, and on it goes. It seems a simple amendment, and we will be supporting it.

MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Housing and Minister for Tourism and Events) (10.58): On behalf of the Chief Minister, I thank Mr Smyth and also Mr Rattenbury for their support of this bill. There were, of course, comprehensive changes to the Auditor-


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