Ceremonial Sitting to welcome the Queen's Baton

Her Majesty the Queen’s Baton was to arrive on Norfolk Island from Tuvalu via Brisbane and Sydney on the afternoon of Wednesday 02 June 2010 and depart our shores on Saturday, 5 June 2010 en route for Singapore. As part of the Queen’s Baton Relay the Baton was to be received into the Legislative Assembly Chamber at a Ceremonial Sitting on Thursday 03 June 2010 at 9.30 am.

Unfortunately there was a delay and the Queen's Baton did not arrive on Norfolk Island until late in the afternoon of Friday 04 June 2010, which did not allow any time for the Ceremonial Sitting to take place as planned. The delay being due to its departure from Tuvalu having to be rerouted through Fiji and Melbourne.

The Minister for Community Services with executive responsibility for sport, the Hon Tim Sheridan MLA welcomed the Queen's Baton to Norfolk.

Ministerial Portfolios

The Legislative Assembly met this week and certainly proved the adage that a short programme can often result in a long sitting and last Wednesday’s sitting was no exception. As a consequence of there being answers provided to 13 of the 14 questions on notice (which were published in last week’s Norfolk Islander), and there being lengthy and robust debate on a statement by the Chief Minister in respect of the Territories Law Reform Bill 2010, the Assembly meeting did not finish until around 3.30 pm. The House passed motions proposed by Minister Craig Anderson in respect of the appointment of Mrs Jenifer Magri to the Immigration Committee; and exemptions from payment of customs duty for goods imported by the Norfolk Island Volunteer Rescue Squad Inc. The Child Welfare (Amendment No. 2) Bill 2010 introduced by Minister Tim Sheridan has been adjourned to allow for public input. Minister Sheridan also reminded the Norfolk Island community that a review of the Road Traffic legislation is underway and urged people to make submissions on any changes they would like to see made to the legislation. On behalf of Members of the Assembly, I welcome Mrs Rhonda Griffiths MLA back home and trust that she was able to tune in to hear the answers, which were provided to the questions she had placed “on notice”.

We are asked from time to time about the responsibilities/portfolios of the various members of the Assembly so this week we are republishing what is commonly referred to as the Assembly Administrative Arrangements Order.

The current operative arrangements for this Assembly are -

David E. Buffett
CHIEF MINISTER



Head of Government
Self-government
Intergovernmental Relations
Strategic Planning
Public Service
Culture, Heritage and Traditions
Museums
KAVHA and Cemetery
Education

Craig M. Anderson
MINISTER FOR FINANCE AND THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL



Treasury
Budget
Public Monies
Economic Policy
GST
Retail Price Index
Benefit Adjustment Factor
Fees and Charges
Justice
Police
Licensing
Liquor Bond
Postal/Philatelic
Customs
Immigration
Employment
- Industrial Relations
- Workers Compensation

Andre N. Nobbs
MINISTER FOR TOURISM, INDUSTRY & DEVELOPMENT



Tourism
Commerce and Industry
Economic Development
Gaming
Electricity
Transportation
- Airline
- Airport
- Lighterage
- Harbour
- Shipping
Primary Industry
- Agriculture & Horticulture
- Slaughtering
- Pounds
- Domestic Animals
- Fisheries
Communications and Technology
- SPIN
- Norfolk Telecom
New Technology Assessment

Timothy J. Sheridan
MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES



Social Welfare
- Social Services
- Superannuation
Health
- Hospital Enterprise
- Healthcare
- Public Health
Environment
- Land & Buildings
- Parks & Forestry
- National Park and Botanic Gardens
- Waste Management
- Pests and Noxious weeds
- Quarrying
Emergency Services & Disaster Management
Sport & Recreation
Civil Works –
- Roads
- Road Traffic

Assembly blogspot is now "out there"

The Legislative Assembly blogsite is now uploaded on the internet and the address is - http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com. It is planned that “Your Parliament Your Voice” be posted on the blog after it is published each week along with other newsworthy items about the Parliament and the Norfolk Island community.

Budget sessions are continuing almost daily this week. When presentations are completed at the end of next week the Budget Review Committee has the task of cutting proposed expenditure to “fit the cloth” as the saying goes. Assembly members will then have the opportunity to determine what is essential funding in the forthcoming financial year to meet the basic needs of both the public service and the community at large. The budget will be tabled in the Assembly on 9 June 2010.

Praise for Norfolk
My meeting with Mr. Milton Bradley on Thursday brought home to me how dependent Norfolk Island is on its wonderful network of volunteers; and the nine-member executive of the Norfolk Island Amateur Sports and Commonwealth Games Association is a demonstration of that fact The executive is working hard behind the scenes to ensure that The Queen’s Baton Relay on Norfolk Island is as well supported as it was in 2006. The Queen’s Baton relay is one of the great traditions of the Commonwealth Games and symbolizes the gathering of people from across the Commonwealth at a four yearly festival of sport and culture. The Queen’s Baton comes to Norfolk Island from Tuvalu on Wednesday 2 June and leaves our shores en route to Singapore on the 5th June; the Legislative Assembly will hold a ceremonial sitting to receive the Queen’s Baton into the Chamber on Thursday 3 June 2010 at 9.30 am. Our Minister with responsibility for Sport, the Hon Tim Sheridan MLA, will join Mr. Milton Bradley and Mr. Dennis Sterling on Radio VL2NI on Monday 17 May after the 8 o’clock local news to talk about the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and the Queen’s Baton relay on Norfolk.

We have a sitting of the Assembly next Wednesday 19 May at 10 am and matters listed on the Notice Paper are published elsewhere in the Norfolk Islander by the Office of the Clerk under the heading Matters for the Sitting. The Notice Paper, Programme, Minutes of Proceedings, Hansard and Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly can be accessed on www.info.gov.nf under the heading Legislative Assembly matters.

Praise for Norfolk Island

We told you in an earlier issue of Your Parliament Your Voice how Managers of the Public Service briefed Assembly Members on how their various areas of responsibility worked. These discussions were very meaningful and one in particular prompted me this week to speak with the Manager of the Electricity Undertaking John (Moochie) Christian yesterday to make myself more aware on how the solar energy initiative was working out for the undertaking. That was a very worthwhile discussion and we would like to take the opportunity to compliment the Electricity team on a job well done. Mr Christian has recently received approaches from Kiribati, Samoa and Vanuatu seeking advice on how Norfolk Island is so successfully melding the two systems of power generation together and what government policies are in place. Again, Norfolk Island is demonstrating its leadership.

Blogging.......

The Acting Clerk Mrs Gaye Evans JP attended a tutorial last Tuesday at the school on how to set up a blogsite on the internet. It is planned to have a blogsite for the Legislative Assembly in which to publish “Your Parliament Your Voice” and other items of topical interest about the Parliament and the Norfolk Island community. We will be able to give you the web address of the blogsite in next week’s column.

Get Well message

Mr Mike King MLA has sent us another update from Sydney on Assembly Member Mrs Rhonda Griffiths. Whilst she did have to have unexpected major surgery last Saturday the operation was successful. Rhonda continues to be in good spirits and is undertaking rehabilitation for the original stroke damage. She is champing at the bit to come home and that is a very good sign.

Budgets and Meetings

It is that time of the year when the Assembly and the Public Service work together to formulate the budget for the next financial year. Due to the general election and formation of a new Government this year’s budget process has been shortened of necessity and a timetable for budget hearings has been set. At these hearings Managers of the various Public Services Departments discuss their projected estimates of expenditure and the projects they with to achieve with the Budget Review Committee. This Committee comprises the Chief Minister (Chairman), the Minister for Finance, the Chief Executive Officer and the Finance Manager. Other Members of the Assembly may choose to be present at the hearings also.

Traditionally, if the Appropriation Bill is not introduced in May, the Assembly meets twice in June and present indicators are that the dates for those meetings will be 9 and 23 June.

The House will next meet on Wednesday 19 May 2010 at 10 am. The Notice, Paper, Programme, Minutes of Proceedings and Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly can be accessed on www.info.gov.nf under the heading Legislative Assembly matters.

Queen's Baton again visiting Norfolk Island

As part of the lead up celebrations for the Commonwealth Games, the Queens Baton was brought to Norfolk Island for the very first time in 2006 and the Legislative Assembly of the day held a ceremonial sitting to formally welcome the Baton into the Assembly Chamber. It is very good news that the Baton will again “visit” Norfolk on the Queens Baton Relay and Assembly Members have agreed to again hold a ceremonial sitting to acknowledge this prestigious occasion. The Baton will arrive on Wednesday 2 June with the ceremonial sitting proposed for Thursday the 3rd of June at a time to be settled with the Amateur Sports Association.

April's News

The weather was perfect for the Anzac Day commemorative services held on Sunday 25 April and we were very pleased that Major General Jeffery AC CVO MC (retired), and Mrs Jeffery were able to be part of those activities. The Chief Minister and the Speaker joined those assembled for the mid morning service and the Speaker laid a wreath at the Cenotaph on behalf the Norfolk Island community and the Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island. The Norfolk Island cadets played a most commendable role in the various ceremonies under the tutelage of the Minister for Community Services, the Hon Tim Sheridan, in his role of Officer Commanding the 230 Army Cadet Unit Norfolk Island.



Members of the Assembly were very heartened to have an update on Thursday from Mr Mike King MLA on Assembly Member Mrs Rhonda Griffiths. Mr King, who has been to visit Mrs Griffiths at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, sent a heartening email advising, “that Rhonda is doing very well; that there is a marked improvement every day and her wit, her humour and her spirit remain undiminished.” That is very good news.



and CONGRATULATIONS...

to Mrs Ruby Mathews on attaining her 104th birthday on the 28th April.

Briefings continued and Visits from the ACT

Briefings by the Public Service are key to new members gaining understanding of the operations of Government whilst giving officers themselves the opportunity to share concerns they might have and to offer potential solutions for the Assembly’s consideration. All in all a most worthwhile exercise and staff are to be complemented for their professional presentations. Clearly we underestimate the talents and skill base we have in this truly amazing community. Certainly Members now have better understanding of some of the problem areas, which require early attention – waste management and argentine ants being just two of these key areas.

We welcome to Norfolk Island this week the Hon Shane Rattenbury MLA, Speaker of the A.C.T. Legislative Assembly and Member of the A.C.T. Greens Party, who arrived Wednesday evening. Shane is here to compete in the Island’s Triathlon this weekend and we wish him well. He is taking the opportunity during his visit to explore as much of the Island as he can and to talk with a number of Island residents who share similar interests. This is Shane’s first term of office as a Member and he shared with the Chief Minister, the Acting Clerk and myself over a cup of tea some interesting snippets from his life pre politics.

“Having worked for Greenpeace for the last 10 years, I know that it is possible to make the world a better place. After gaining degrees in Economics and Law (Honours) at ANU and working for the Commonwealth Industry Department, I joined Greenpeace Australia in 1998, where I was able to campaign on local issues like preventing toxic emissions at the Totalcare Incinerator in Mitchell. In 2005, as Head of Greenpeace’s global oceans campaign, I led an expedition of two Greenpeace ships to Antarctica to confront the Japanese whaling fleet. We saved 82 whales by putting ourselves between the whales and the harpoons, and forced the whalers to return home with a reduced catch. In December 2007, as International Political Director, I led the Greenpeace delegation at the vital climate change negotiations in Bali, which successfully started the process for the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol.”.

Meeting with Managers of the Public Service

Members of your new Assembly have been very busy since they were sworn in as Members on 24 March 2010 and on most days have been attending briefings by the Administration between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm. Managers from the following areas have provided detailed overviews of the operations for which they have oversight – Finance (George Plant, Barry Wilson & Bruce Taylor); Role of Government Secretariat (Elizabeth Burns & Alma Davidson); Registry Office (Alan Bataille); Social Services (Kim Edward); Healthcare/Workers Compensation (Gary Dowling); Tourist Accommodation (Jason Adams); Museums (Lisa Richards); School (Neil Solomon); Information Technology (Steve Matthews); KAVHA (Bruce Baskerville); Planning & Environment (Alan McNeil; Health/Building/Quarantine (Neil Tavener); Waste Management (Malcolm Snell); Norfolk Island Police (Vince Parnell); Customs & Immigration (Alan Buffett); Parks/Forestry/Conservator (Peter Davidson); Legal Services Unit (Wayne Richards); Emergency Services (Gerri Downie); Electricity/Norfolk Energy (John Christian); Public Works (Justin Reynolds); Post Office (Debbie Simpson); Philatelic (Bruce Taylor); Liquor Bond (Douglas Jackson). Members also received comprehensive briefings on Gaming (Rod McAlpine); Norfolk Air (Jeff Murdoch) and Norfolk Island Tourism (Nicole Moore). With the Easter break, time did not allow for the Airport Manager (Glenn Robinson); Telecom Manager (Kim Davies); Hospital (David McCowan) and the Office of the Clerk (Gaye Evans JP) to provide their briefings and they will be held next week as will site inspections of the airport, forestry, waste management, works depot and others.

First formal Sitting of the House on 14 April 2010

Your Legislative Assembly will next meet on Wednesday 14 April at 10 am and Members of the public are welcome to sit in the public gallery. However we ask you to understand that seating in our small gallery is limited.

Members of the 13th Legislative Assembly

On 24 March 2010 at 10 am His Honour the Administrator Mr Owen Walsh was escorted by the Acting Clerk Mrs Gaye Evans JP into the Legislative Assembly chamber at the Old Military Barracks at Kingston. The nine members elected to the Thirteenth Legislative Assembly on 17 March 2010 had gathered to be sworn in by His Honour; and family of the new Members were present to witness each Member taking his or her oath or affirmation of allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and of office as a Member of the Assembly. The first sitting of a new Assembly is a ceremonial occasion and traditionally the order of business follows a set format.

• Members are sworn in
• The Speaker is elected and takes the Chair
• The Deputy Speaker is elected
• The Administrator makes an Address to the Assembly * (see below)
• The Speaker makes an Address in Reply * (see below)
• The sitting is suspended to allow the Administrator to leave the Chamber
• The Speaker resumes the Chair
• Members decide the number of Ministers and their titles and chooses who they wish the Ministers to be
• Members then fix the date of their next meeting and the meeting is adjourned. The Assembly will next meet on Wednesday 14 April 2010 at 10 am.

The office holders in the Thirteenth Legislative Assembly are –

• Speaker - Robin Adams JP
• Deputy Speaker – Lisle Snell
• Chief Minister – David Buffett AM
• Minister for Community Services – Tim Sheridan
• Minister for Finance and The Attorney-General – Craig Anderson
• Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development – Andre Nobbs

The non-executive members are –

• Melissa Ward
• Michael King
• Rhonda Griffiths

His Honour formally swore in the Ministry at Government House at the conclusion of the ceremonial sitting.

The 13th Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island

The elections held on Norfolk Island on 17 March 2010 brought in the 13th Legislative Assembly. Ms Robin Adams JP, former Clerk to the Assembly for the past 26 years became a Member and was elected Speaker at the first formal sitting of the House. Ms Adams has commenced a publication called Your Parliament Your Voice to get the message of the Assembly and it's working, to a wider audience.