Sitting of the Legislative Assembly on 9 March 2011
The Legislative Assembly met on Wednesday 9 March 2011 at 10 am; the sitting immediately suspended until 11 am due to a technical glitch with our recording system; the sitting resumed at 11 am and concluded shortly after 5 pm with a lunch break between 12.40 pm and 2 pm.
Condolences were recorded in respect of the passing of Pieter Dirk Johannes Swynenburg, Laurence Pinney Parker, Juliete Quintal and Ernest Francis Quintal.
The Chief Minister reported he had received a letter dated 9 March 2011 from His Honour the Administrator advising that the Administrator had that morning received the resignation in writing of the Hon Craig Anderson MLA, as Minister for Finance and The Attorney General and further advising that the resignation was effective upon its delivery to the Administrator. Mr Anderson has indicated to the Administrator that he will remain, for the time being, a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Leave of absence from the sitting was extended to Mr Anderson and to Mrs Griffiths.
The first substantive matter on the Programme was a Matter of Public Importance raised by the Chief Minister, the Hon David Buffett AM MLA who reported on his discussions last week with the Federal Minister, the Hon Simon Crean, MP, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government about further short term funding for Norfolk Island, i.e. until the conclusion of the financial year, 30 June 2011 and on the Norfolk Island road map developed in partnership between the Norfolk Island and Commonwealth Governments. The Chief Minister tabled the road map and moved – That the paper be printed. The road map is available on the Telecom website www.ni.net.nf. Copies are also available in both hard copy and electronically from the Offices of the Legislative Assembly by phoning 22003. Discussion ensued with all members participating.
Answers were provided to 11 of the 14 questions on the Notice Paper.
The following papers were tabled:
1. Exemptions approved under the Customs Act 1913 from payment of customs duty;
2. NIGTB GM and Tourism Australia Discussion Update;
3. Virements authorised by executive member under Public Moneys Act 1979;
4. Declarations of Residency during the year end 31 December 2010 granted under the Immigration Act 1980;
5. Inbound passenger statistics for January 2011;
6. Instrument creating a head of the Trust Fund under the Public Moneys Act 1979;
7. Review of Telecommunications Competition on Norfolk Island;
8. Policy on Dental Treatment for Children and Pregnant Women;
9. Review of Renewable Energy Technologies for use on Norfolk Island.
The following statements were made –
• Chief Minister reported –
o On the meeting of S.C.A.G. in Wellington New Zealand last week which was attended by Mr Craig Anderson MLA;
o It was not proposed to set a GEP quote for 2011 under the Immigration Act 1980
• Mr King, in his role of Chairman of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee – advised of his intention to convene the Committee to investigate i) Barter card ii) Telecommunications and iii) NZ Telecom accounts and the report to Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly.
A message from the Office of the Administrator was reported to the House advising that the Administrator had declared his assent to the Provident Account (Amendment) Act 2011.
Outcomes for matters on the Notice Paper which were debated are as follows:
o The House recommended the appointment by the Chief Executive Officer of Mr Bruce Taylor as an Executive Director with the title or designation of Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
o The transfer, subject to specified conditions, of the registration of one unit from “”View Rest Inn” to “Cumberland Resort and Spa” was approved.
o The House noted the answer to a question on notice no. 107 relating to barter card dollars.
o The House agreed the appointment under section 51 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979 (the Act) of CST/Nexia as the Norfolk Island Government Auditor within the meaning of section 51A of the Act for the financial year ending on 30 June 2011; the House further agreed that CST/Nexia also be appointed as the Auditor of the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau for the financial year ending 30 June 2011.
o The Court of Petty Sessions (Amendment) Bill 2011 was introduced and passed through all stages at the sitting. The purpose of the amending Bill is to provide for the Court of Petty Sessions to conduct hearings in New South Wales in limited circumstances.
o The Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development presented the Airport (Amendment) Bill 2011 and the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau (Amendment) Bill 2011; debate on both Bills was adjourned, Copies of the Bills are available on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Bills awaiting passage or from Mrs Jan Keeping in the Legal Services Unit at the Norfolk Island Administration.
o The House agreed that recommendations numbered 1, 2 (a) through to and including (e) and 3 (a) and (b) of the Report of the Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee on the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2011 be agreed to and the remainder of the Report noted.
o Debate resumed on the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010. Detail stage amendments proposed to the bill were tabled and debate on the Bill was adjourned.
International Women’s Day
It was with much pleasure that I accepted the invitation to speak at the
International Womens' Day Breakfast last Tuesday 8 March, 2011 at the Paradise Hotel & Resort. The theme this year was “Women Making Changes” and some 75 women and men gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this organisation and to enjoy one another’s company over breakfast. I chose as the theme for my speech the activities that are being planned for Commonwealth Day which will be celebrated next Monday, the 14th of March. This year the Commonwealth Day theme is “Women as Agents of Change” which was most complementary to the theme for International Women’
Commonwealth Day 2011
With the co-operation of the Headmaster Mr Neil Solomon, the School Assembly next week will be held on Monday and the programme for the gathering is focussing around Commonwealth Day 2011. The School Captains and the Youth Assembly will be playing an important role in the proceedings and I as Speaker will be reading the Commonwealth Day Message received from Her Majesty the Queen. In the lead up to Commonwealth Day students at our school were offered the opportunity to enter into a competition to design a poster if they were in infants; and to write an essay if they were in primary or secondary, on a woman who had changed their life, or their family’s lives or the community’s life. We have had a wonderful response, especially from our infants and primary school students and the winners will be announced and receive their awards at the Assembly on Monday. We will also be launching the first volume of our e-book which is created to tell the story of women who have been agents of change in Norfolk Island’s history. The e-book, which is a community project, is designed to grow and grow with time and is to be hosted on the school’s living library website.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 11 March 2011
The Legislative Assembly met on Wednesday 9 March 2011 at 10 am; the sitting immediately suspended until 11 am due to a technical glitch with our recording system; the sitting resumed at 11 am and concluded shortly after 5 pm with a lunch break between 12.40 pm and 2 pm.
Condolences were recorded in respect of the passing of Pieter Dirk Johannes Swynenburg, Laurence Pinney Parker, Juliete Quintal and Ernest Francis Quintal.
The Chief Minister reported he had received a letter dated 9 March 2011 from His Honour the Administrator advising that the Administrator had that morning received the resignation in writing of the Hon Craig Anderson MLA, as Minister for Finance and The Attorney General and further advising that the resignation was effective upon its delivery to the Administrator. Mr Anderson has indicated to the Administrator that he will remain, for the time being, a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Leave of absence from the sitting was extended to Mr Anderson and to Mrs Griffiths.
The first substantive matter on the Programme was a Matter of Public Importance raised by the Chief Minister, the Hon David Buffett AM MLA who reported on his discussions last week with the Federal Minister, the Hon Simon Crean, MP, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government about further short term funding for Norfolk Island, i.e. until the conclusion of the financial year, 30 June 2011 and on the Norfolk Island road map developed in partnership between the Norfolk Island and Commonwealth Governments. The Chief Minister tabled the road map and moved – That the paper be printed. The road map is available on the Telecom website www.ni.net.nf. Copies are also available in both hard copy and electronically from the Offices of the Legislative Assembly by phoning 22003. Discussion ensued with all members participating.
Answers were provided to 11 of the 14 questions on the Notice Paper.
The following papers were tabled:
1. Exemptions approved under the Customs Act 1913 from payment of customs duty;
2. NIGTB GM and Tourism Australia Discussion Update;
3. Virements authorised by executive member under Public Moneys Act 1979;
4. Declarations of Residency during the year end 31 December 2010 granted under the Immigration Act 1980;
5. Inbound passenger statistics for January 2011;
6. Instrument creating a head of the Trust Fund under the Public Moneys Act 1979;
7. Review of Telecommunications Competition on Norfolk Island;
8. Policy on Dental Treatment for Children and Pregnant Women;
9. Review of Renewable Energy Technologies for use on Norfolk Island.
The following statements were made –
• Chief Minister reported –
o On the meeting of S.C.A.G. in Wellington New Zealand last week which was attended by Mr Craig Anderson MLA;
o It was not proposed to set a GEP quote for 2011 under the Immigration Act 1980
• Mr King, in his role of Chairman of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee – advised of his intention to convene the Committee to investigate i) Barter card ii) Telecommunications and iii) NZ Telecom accounts and the report to Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly.
A message from the Office of the Administrator was reported to the House advising that the Administrator had declared his assent to the Provident Account (Amendment) Act 2011.
Outcomes for matters on the Notice Paper which were debated are as follows:
o The House recommended the appointment by the Chief Executive Officer of Mr Bruce Taylor as an Executive Director with the title or designation of Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
o The transfer, subject to specified conditions, of the registration of one unit from “”View Rest Inn” to “Cumberland Resort and Spa” was approved.
o The House noted the answer to a question on notice no. 107 relating to barter card dollars.
o The House agreed the appointment under section 51 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979 (the Act) of CST/Nexia as the Norfolk Island Government Auditor within the meaning of section 51A of the Act for the financial year ending on 30 June 2011; the House further agreed that CST/Nexia also be appointed as the Auditor of the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau for the financial year ending 30 June 2011.
o The Court of Petty Sessions (Amendment) Bill 2011 was introduced and passed through all stages at the sitting. The purpose of the amending Bill is to provide for the Court of Petty Sessions to conduct hearings in New South Wales in limited circumstances.
o The Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development presented the Airport (Amendment) Bill 2011 and the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau (Amendment) Bill 2011; debate on both Bills was adjourned, Copies of the Bills are available on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Bills awaiting passage or from Mrs Jan Keeping in the Legal Services Unit at the Norfolk Island Administration.
o The House agreed that recommendations numbered 1, 2 (a) through to and including (e) and 3 (a) and (b) of the Report of the Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee on the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2011 be agreed to and the remainder of the Report noted.
o Debate resumed on the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010. Detail stage amendments proposed to the bill were tabled and debate on the Bill was adjourned.
International Women’s Day
It was with much pleasure that I accepted the invitation to speak at the
International Womens' Day Breakfast last Tuesday 8 March, 2011 at the Paradise Hotel & Resort. The theme this year was “Women Making Changes” and some 75 women and men gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this organisation and to enjoy one another’s company over breakfast. I chose as the theme for my speech the activities that are being planned for Commonwealth Day which will be celebrated next Monday, the 14th of March. This year the Commonwealth Day theme is “Women as Agents of Change” which was most complementary to the theme for International Women’Commonwealth Day 2011
With the co-operation of the Headmaster Mr Neil Solomon, the School Assembly next week will be held on Monday and the programme for the gathering is focussing around Commonwealth Day 2011. The School Captains and the Youth Assembly will be playing an important role in the proceedings and I as Speaker will be reading the Commonwealth Day Message received from Her Majesty the Queen. In the lead up to Commonwealth Day students at our school were offered the opportunity to enter into a competition to design a poster if they were in infants; and to write an essay if they were in primary or secondary, on a woman who had changed their life, or their family’s lives or the community’s life. We have had a wonderful response, especially from our infants and primary school students and the winners will be announced and receive their awards at the Assembly on Monday. We will also be launching the first volume of our e-book which is created to tell the story of women who have been agents of change in Norfolk Island’s history. The e-book, which is a community project, is designed to grow and grow with time and is to be hosted on the school’s living library website.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 11 March 2011
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