Matters brought before the Legislative Assembly at its
sitting on 20 June 2012
The House met
at 10 am and following Prayers, the House agreed the following motion moved by
the Chief Minister –
THAT so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent only
those matters appearing on today’s programme from being dealt with at this
sitting
Leave from the meeting was extended to Mr Snell, Mr
King and Mr Anderson.
The Chief Minister gave notice of his intention to move a
motion at the next sitting of the House in respect of the
Government’s position regarding the preferred Model of Self-Governance and
entering the Australian Taxation System. The full text of the motion which was
read into Hansard appears on the opposite page.
Debate
resumed on the Supply Bill 2012 which was introduced at the sitting on 6 June
2012. The Schedule to the Bill tabled at the 6 June sitting was deleted and
replaced with a new Schedule dated 18 June 2012.The Bill as amended was agreed to
The Legislative Assembly will sit again on 11 July 2012 at
10 am
To read the
Notice Paper, Programme, Minutes of Proceedings and legislation tabled in the
House go to www.info.gov.nf.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 22 June 2012 and posted on the blog
site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com
News from the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association
We have just received a
photo from London of the group of young people
from around the Commonwealth who were chosen to represent their countries at
the Commonwealth Day Celebrations held in London
last March.It is wonderful to see three
of our own young people -Tennille Christian, Leah Christian and Tim Gatehouse -
‘smiling’ at the camera.This same photo
has also been published in the latest quarterly issue of The Parliamentarian;
the magazine published and distributed around the Commonwealth by the
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
Another Bounty /Anniversary Day has been celebrated ….
And weren’t we blessed with
a beautiful day after an uncertain start with grey clouds and misting
rain.Undeterred by our being unable to
do the re-enactment at the Pier of the arrival of the Pitcairners, the seas
being too rough, we all set off in high spirits to enjoy the parade, the laying
of wreaths at the Cenotaph and the Cemetery and the most welcome cup of tea at
Government House.Thank you to His
Honour and Mrs Pope for welcoming us to their home and for judging the best
dressed family; and well done to the Christian family for winning the coveted
trophy this year. The food at the picnic lunch was as bountiful as ever.We have received a photo from President Clare
Christian of the Isle of Man Parliament showing our flag flying proudly at the
start of the world famous TT races which are held in the Isle
of Man every year. This year the TT races started on 8th
June - Bounty Day.
Matters brought before the Legislative Assembly on 6 June
2012
As advised last
week the Legislative Assembly met
at 10 am on Wednesday 6 June in the Chamber to formally commemorate Her Majesty
the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee; after a short suspension between 10.30 am and 11
am, the Assembly resumed to conduct the formal business of the House listed on
the programme.
The House rose for a period of silence
to acknowledge the passing of Dianne Snell, Garry Robert Clarke and Enid Weslake
Answers were provided both to questions
without notice and on notice and the following papers were tabled:
2)Chief
Minister - Contractual arrangements for services to Legislative Assembly and
government (Paper not to be made public SO 72A – available to Members only)
3)Minister for Tourism,
Development and Industry – Gaming Directors Report
4)Chief Minister – Virement
of Funds Advice
5)Chief Minister – Administration’s
Audited Financial Statements – CST Nexia’s final accounts – acknowledgement of
their service
1)Mrs
Griffiths – Steering Committee of the Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary
Committee (CWP)
2)Chief Minister– Commencement of appointment of new Chief
Executive Officer, Mr Graeme Faulkner
3)Minister for Community
Services – yacht in distress brought in to Norfolk Island
4)Speaker Adams
thanked the Legislative Assembly Officers for their outstanding efforts in recent
weeks
Messages
from the Office of the Administrator were read -
Message No. 27 from the Administrator Mr Neil Pope dated 22
May 2012 advising that on 22 May 2012 under
section 21 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979
he declared his assent to the Sentencing (Amendment) Act 2012
Message No. 28 from the Administrator Mr Neil Pope dated 5
June 2012 advising that on 5 June 2012 under
section 25 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979
he recommended to the lathe enactment of the proposed law entitled “An Act
to authorise expenditure from the Public Account for the period ending on 31
December 2012”
Outcomes for
matters on the Notice Paper which were debated are as follows:
1)The Supply Bill 2012 for the period 1 July 2012 to 31
December 2012 was presented and adjourned
2)Exemption of payment of customs duty was extended to St.
John Ambulance on uniforms and to the Lions Club of Norfolk Island on Christmas
Cakes
3)Dean Laurent Burrell was recommended for appointment as a
member of the Immigration Committee for the period 7 June 2012 to 6 June 2014
4)The Tourist Accommodation (Amendment) Bill 2012 was
introduced and agreed to in principle; a motion to refer the Bill to the Impact
of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Standing Committee was defeated. Debate
will resume at a later date at the detail stage
5)The Lighterage (Amendment) Bill 2012 was presented and
adjourned
6)The House supported the concept of Strata Title on Norfolk
Island contained in the White Paper dated 26 March 2012 and agreed that the
responsible Minister prepare amendments to the planning package of legislation
to accommodate strata title in Norfolk Island; and prepare a draft Bill to
enable strata title on Norfolk
7)Debate resumed at the detail stage on the Ombudsman Bill
2011; detail stage amendments dated 27 June 2011 were withdrawn and new
amendments dated 5 June 2012 tabled.Debate was further adjourned to allow for consideration of the new
amendments
The Legislative Assembly will sit again on 20 June 2012 at
10 am principally to conclude consideration of the Supply Bill 2012
To read the
Notice Paper, Programme, Minutes of Proceedings and legislation tabled in the
House go to www.info.gov.nf.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 15 June 2012 and posted on the blog
site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com
Ceremonial
sitting of the Legislative Assembly on 6 June 2012
As part of our Island’s
celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee the Assembly met
at 10 am on Wednesday 6 June in the Chamber to formally commemorate the
occasion. It was an honour to welcome His
Honour the Administrator and Mrs Pope to the ceremonial proceedings. Our other
invited guests included Rev Phillip Bassett who led us in Prayers, Mrs Bassett,
Acting Official Secretary Mr Kenton Godfrey, Members of the
Diamond Jubilee Organising Committee, the Speaker of the Youth Assembly Miss
Sophie Donohoe and the Assembly Clerk, Miss Tarea Magri, who were accompanied
by their mentor Mrs Trish Magri and the Deputy Headmaster Mr Mark Hall. Monsieur Frederic
Mouchet, a professional photographer from Canberra,
assisted with photographing the proceedings for posterity. Stirring addresses
were given by His Honour the Administrator Mr Neil Pope, the Chief Minister Hon
David Buffett AM MLA, the Minister for Community Services the Hon Tim Sheridan
MLA and the Deputy Speaker Mr Lisle Snell MLA.The Speaker has undertaken to have a Hansard of the sitting accompany
the community card and gift which are to be sent next week to Her Majesty.
Our report on the formal
proceedings of the House which followed the ceremonial sitting will be
published next week.
Thank you from the Speaker
In addition to the Diamond
Jubilee Organising Committee there are so many people in this wonderful community
who have worked very hard behind the scenes to ensure that our tiny island’s
Diamond Jubilee celebrations have been the success that they are. There are too
many to name personally.Howeverwe do need to acknowledge the following for
their generosity:Mrs Kay Murray (nee
McCoy) who allowed the use of “Commie and Marie’s paddock” where the community
and our school children gathered Monday afternoon to witness the unveiling of
the commemorative plaque on Queen
Elizabeth Avenue. To Mr Chris Gatehouse for providing
and lighting “our beacon” on Queen Elizabeth Lookout on Monday night in
challenging weather – thank you Chris.To Mr Milton Bradley and the Norfolk Lions Club for providing the public
address system; to Wesley James Cooper for leading us in fine voice singing
“God Save the Queen” and to the Community Arts Society for producing “a fine
splendid” card for the community to sign – thank you for volunteering your
services.The celebrations of course
continue in the months ahead culminating, we trust, in a visit in November of
Prince Charles and Lady Camilla.
Bounty Day and the Isle of Man
Of course when you read
this we will have already celebrated Bounty Day and had a wonderful time. On
the opposite page you will see a message to the community from the Hon Clare
Christian MP, President of Tynwald, the Parliament in the Isle of Man. The
message will of course have been read out at the Bounty Day picnic.This year we also flew the flag of the Isle
of Man in pride of place alongside the Tahitian flag as both of these flags
mark an important part of our journey since the Mutiny on the Bounty to the
arrival of the Pitcairners on Norfolk Island
in 1856.
The
next sitting of the Legislative Assembly is scheduled for Wednesday 20 June
2012 at 10 am
To read the Notice Paper, Programme, Minutes
of Proceedings and legislation tabled in the House go to www.info.gov.nf.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 7 June 2012 and posted on the blog
site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com
Bounty Day is almost upon us for another year and one
week from today on 8 June we will be gathered on Kingston Pier to commence the
days activities. The programme for Bounty Day will be published elsewhere and
so we will just focus now on our Bounty Day link with the Isle of Man.
We all know that a Cultural Agreement
between Norfolk Island and the Isle of Man was
signed on 05 July 2011.The Agreement included
acknowledgement of the historical links between our respective Islands, links
that were forged because of Fletcher Christian and William Bligh’s association
with the Isle of Man, an association that led to the descendants of mutineers
Christian, Adams, McCoy, Quintal and Young living on Norfolk Island today.As part of our acknowledgment of the Cultural
Agreement and the role that the Isle of Man played in our history the Manx flag
will fly alongside the UK, Tahitian, Pitcairn and Norfolk flags, so we can march
past them in the Bounty Day parade.
It is exciting news that the Norfolk
Island flag will fly prominently in the Isle of Man
on the 8th June this year as their way of acknowledging our
Anniversary Day.The Isle of Man have
shown great enthusiasm to honour the Cultural Agreement and our Anniversary
Day, as not only will our Island flag be flying, they have asked for Norfolk
Island Music to be sent over so it can be played on Bounty Day and the days
leading up to it.So far we have been
able to send the late Eileen Snell
singing My Beautiful Island Home, Trent Christian singing Welcome to Norfolk, Archie Biggs’s poem Morla el Duu and Graeme
Connor’s song Pacifica
which is very topical as it mentions Captain Bligh.
I would like to thank Mr Tom
Lloyd AM for kindly providing me with a copy of the First Day Cover “The Mutiny
on the Bounty 1789-1989” and stamps which were released on 28 April in 1989
which will join Isle of Man/Norfolk memorabilia held in the Committee Room of
the Legislative Assembly.
The Isle of Man’s National
Day, Tynwald Day, is celebrated on 05 July and I look forward to providing
details of what our Island will do to honour
their National Day this year.
Diamond
Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and the Norfolk Island
Youth Assembly
Elsewhere in this issue you
will find an update of events being co-coordinated to celebrate the Diamond
Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 to mark the 60 years of her reign.
The official celebrations will commence on Monday the 4th of June
with a number of activities planned starting at the School where a new social
networking site will be launched in the school library.The site is designed to facilitate Norfolk
Island’s Youth Assembly communicating with other youth organisations around the
Commonwealth of Nations.
6 June 2012 – Ceremonial Sitting followed by a general Sitting of the
House
The Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly
will commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee by conducting a
Ceremonial Sitting at 10am on 06 June 2012.This will be aired on VL2NI for all to listen to.The Ceremonial Sitting will be followed by the
normal Sitting of the House at 11am, which will be also be broadcast.
To read the Notice Paper, Programme, Minutes
of Proceedings and legislation tabled in the House go to www.info.gov.nf. Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 01 June 2012
and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com
