Online this week you will find a list of matters appearing on the Notice Paper for the next meeting of the Legislative Assembly on 28 July 2010. The full text of the Notice Paper can be found under “Assembly documents” on www.info.gov.nf. Over the next few weeks I will share with you some procedures of the Legislative Assembly which you may find helpful in understanding the operation of the Legislative Assembly. This week we will talk about the Notice Paper.
The Notice Paper
The Notice Paper (always printed on yellow paper) is a document which outlines all of the business which is currently before the Legislative Assembly. The Notice Paper contains –
•A list of Bills and motions that are to be introduced
•A list of Bills and motions that have been introduced at an earlier sitting and which are awaiting further debate - these matters are called Orders of the Day
•Questions on notice (Standing Orders 99 to 101)
The Notice Paper closes at 4pm on the Thursday preceding a meeting of the Legislative Assembly. Matters for the Notice Paper are lodged at the Office of the Clerk. The Clerk then prepares the draft Notice Paper for consideration by the Business Committee. The Clerk is available to assist with the preparation of Notices and to give advice on matters related thereto.
The order of business on the Notice Paper is settled by the Business Committee. (Standing Order 80). The Business Committee comprises the Speaker and two other Members appointed by the Legislative Assembly (Standing Order 20. The Clerk circulates the settled Notice Paper by email/hard copy on the Friday before the meeting of the Legislative Assembly and arranges publication in the Norfolk Islander.
Island of History Conference
The Island of History Conference was held this week at Governors Lodge and Mr Peter Muhlhausler presented a key-note address on the social history of the Tahitian language on Pitcairn Island. It is hoped that his presentation will be available to the public in due course. Readers will recall the Legislative Assembly put in place the Norfolk Island Language (Norf’k) Act 2004. In August 2007 the UNESCO Endangered Languages Program agreed to include Norf’k in its next edition of the Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing. This followed a submission to UNESCO by the Norfolk Island Government of a research paper setting out the case for recognition and protection of our language. This was a significant step in building recognition of the unique language and culture of Norfolk Island. Our Acting Clerk, Mrs. Gaye Evans JP, continues to work at ensuring continuing recognition of our language by teaching it at the Norfolk Island Central School.
Assembly reception to acknowledge the contribution and courage of Alex (Macca) McKenzie
The Legislative Assembly is hosting a small reception this evening at Bounty Lodge Restaurant to celebrate the outstanding performance of Alex (Macca) McKenzie in his setting on Norfolk Island a world record for running 200 kms on a grass track; to acknowledge his support team from New Zealand; and also to thank those members of the community who were directly involved in making this such a memorable event for Norfolk Island. Guests at the Reception include The Relay for Life Committee, the time and lap counters, Alex’s local sponsors and others, all of whom played a direct role in helping him in his achievement. Just as Alex was heard over and over to say about our community “that we are awesome”, we in return hold him in awe.
It is events like this that have a flow on effect to increase tourism to The World of Norfolk – thank you again to The Relay for Life Committee, the Relay Teams, the Relay sponsors and all those wonderful people in the Norfolk Island community who played a part – no matter how small - in making last weekend such an outstanding happening on our beautiful Island.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 23 July 2010
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