Page 612 - Week 02 - Thursday, 18 February 2016

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video

---

(3) standing order 69(d), insert the following:

(4) standing order 69(e), insert the following:

The motion I am putting forward today seeks to amend the standing orders to enable the co-sponsoring of bills in this place. This is a practice, of course, that we are familiar with in the federal parliament but not one that exists here in the Assembly.

Members may wonder why this is a change that we want to bring to this place, but the practice we have observed, of course, in federal parliament is that at times having the ability to co-sponsor bills enables members who have interest in a new or emerging issue to work together on an issue, perhaps across political lines, to build coalitions of support around particular issues amongst members who may have a particular passion about an issue or who feel that there is more latitude and more room to build a majority in the parliament by working together across the parliamentary chamber.

It is something that I think presents an opportunity for enhanced development of legislation. It offers one more way for us to work together in order to resolve what can be sometimes difficult issues, often issues that are perhaps less technical in nature—and these have tended to come up around challenging social issues that do have, I guess, a history about them or the politics of the day can make it difficult to resolve them—but often members working together can very effectively deal with these issues by co-sponsoring a bill.

I think the standing order amendments are reasonably straightforward. They simply create the mechanism. They allow various speaking times for the co-sponsors and others and provide, I guess, the procedural mechanisms to go through this. I understand that the Assembly will now refer this to the administration and procedure committee for examination, as is appropriate.

I am quite comfortable with that and, as I am represented on that committee, I look forward to discussing it further with my colleagues. We have had an initial discussion about this but we are also seeking input from other members as to whether there are any reservations about this. But I think it is a development that enables us to potentially work together on occasions on complicated or difficult pieces of legislation. I commend the motion to the Assembly.

---

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video