Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee
At its sitting on 23 July 2010 Minister Sheridan presented the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010 and moved – That the Bill be agreed to in principle. A copy of the Bill and Explanatory Memorandum can be found on www.info.gov.nf. The Legislative Assembly subsequently referred the Bill to the Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee, a standing committee of the House, for its consideration and report back to the House. The Committee hopes to present its findings at the 22 September 2010 sitting. The Committee on this occasion comprises Mr Michael King MLA (Chairman), Mrs Melissa Ward and Mr Lisle Snell (alternate member). The Committee held its first public inquiry on the Bill last Tuesday 17 August 2010.
Parliamentary Committees
Parliamentary committees can be established by –
• Statutes (statutory committees);
• Standing orders (standing committees SO 17 to 25); and
• Resolution of the Legislative Assembly (select committees SO 200 to 221).
The principle purpose of parliamentary committees is to perform functions which the House itself is not well fitted to perform.
Statutory Committees
Statutory committees are appointed in the manner prescribed in the relevant statute. For example –
• Immigration Committee – Immigration Act 1980;
• Social Services Committee – Social Services Act 1980
• Public Service Board – Public Sector Management Act 2000
Some statutes provide that a Member or Members of the Assembly serve on a statutory committee.
Standing Committees
Standing committees are appointed for the term of an Assembly. The Standing Orders currently provide for the following Standing Committees:
• Business Committee
• House Committee
• Standing Orders Committee
• Committee of Privileges
• Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee
• Public Account and Estimates Committee
Select Committees
Select Committees are appointed by resolution of the Legislative Assembly and are usually given a date on or before which they must report to the House.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 20 August 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Judgment, Term of Office of Members and Minister for Toursim visits NZ
We have received advice from the Supreme Court Registry that the judgment in the matter of SC 3/2010 - Christian v Griffiths - will be handed down on Thursday 19th August at 11.30am Norfolk time via video link in the Norfolk Island Court House. This matter relates to a petition under section 46 of the Legislative Assembly Act 1979 lodged with the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island on 23 March 2010 following the holding of a general election for the Thirteenth Legislative Assembly.
So to continue on with our weekly snippets on our Parliament –
Term of office of Members, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Executive Members of the Legislative Assembly
The term of office of a Member of the Legislative Assembly commences on the date of his election and ends immediately before the date of the next general election (s. 34 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979).
The term of a Legislative Assembly, which is calculated from the date of its first meeting after a general election to the date of the next succeeding general election, shall not be more than three years (s. 35 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979).
The appointment of a person to an executive office takes effect on the day specified in the instrument of appointment and terminates when the Legislative Assembly first meets after a general election. (s. 14 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979).
A person elected to the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker holds office until the Legislative Assembly first meets after a general election (unless those offices are vacated at an earlier date in accordance with s. 41 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979).
Minister for Tourism to pay courtesy call on his New Zealand government counterpart
The Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development, the Hon Andre Nobbs MLA, will in the near future be holidaying in New Zealand where he will pay a courtesy call on his counterpart in the New Zealand Government, the Associate Minister for Tourism the Hon Dr Jonathon Coleman to discuss a wide range of tourism related items of mutual interest. By invitation, Minister Nobbs will attend Question Time in the New Zealand Parliament; and be presenting to Dr Coleman, on behalf of the Norfolk Island community a magnificent framed photograph of our Island for the New Zealand Parliament.
Minister Nobbs will also meet with the Mayor of the New Plymouth District Council, Mr Peter Tennent, to continue their discussions on the establishment of a sister city relationship between Norfolk Island and New Plymouth. Our communities share many mutual interests – including the arts, culture and music – as well as significant events and Festivals that enhance our tourism. The Mayor in his recent letter to Minister Nobbs, shared that “This community already has a number of folk that are absolutely passionate about Norfolk, and there are a number of connections already…”.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 13 August 2010
So to continue on with our weekly snippets on our Parliament –
Term of office of Members, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Executive Members of the Legislative Assembly
The term of office of a Member of the Legislative Assembly commences on the date of his election and ends immediately before the date of the next general election (s. 34 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979).
The term of a Legislative Assembly, which is calculated from the date of its first meeting after a general election to the date of the next succeeding general election, shall not be more than three years (s. 35 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979).
The appointment of a person to an executive office takes effect on the day specified in the instrument of appointment and terminates when the Legislative Assembly first meets after a general election. (s. 14 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979).
A person elected to the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker holds office until the Legislative Assembly first meets after a general election (unless those offices are vacated at an earlier date in accordance with s. 41 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979).
Minister for Tourism to pay courtesy call on his New Zealand government counterpart
The Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development, the Hon Andre Nobbs MLA, will in the near future be holidaying in New Zealand where he will pay a courtesy call on his counterpart in the New Zealand Government, the Associate Minister for Tourism the Hon Dr Jonathon Coleman to discuss a wide range of tourism related items of mutual interest. By invitation, Minister Nobbs will attend Question Time in the New Zealand Parliament; and be presenting to Dr Coleman, on behalf of the Norfolk Island community a magnificent framed photograph of our Island for the New Zealand Parliament.
Minister Nobbs will also meet with the Mayor of the New Plymouth District Council, Mr Peter Tennent, to continue their discussions on the establishment of a sister city relationship between Norfolk Island and New Plymouth. Our communities share many mutual interests – including the arts, culture and music – as well as significant events and Festivals that enhance our tourism. The Mayor in his recent letter to Minister Nobbs, shared that “This community already has a number of folk that are absolutely passionate about Norfolk, and there are a number of connections already…”.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 13 August 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Parliamentary Procedure
We continue on with our weekly snippets on parliamentary procedure
The Norfolk Island Act of 1979 (Clth), section 45, provides – That the Legislative Assembly may make standing rules and orders, not inconsistent with a law of the Territory, with respect to the order and conduct of its business and proceedings. These are commonly referred to as The Standing Orders and they may be accessed on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Standing Orders. Drafting of the original Standing Orders was done with the assistance of the Clerks of the House of Representatives (Clth) back in 1979 with subsequent changes being made over the years; the most recent change being made in this Assembly was in April when the House changed Standing Order 20B to provide that, in addition to the Speaker ex officio, the number of members on the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee be increased from two to three. Standing Order No. 1 provides our Assembly with a general rule that – Any questions relating to procedure or the conduct of business of the House not provided for in our Assembly’s Standing Orders shall be decided according to the practice in the House of Representatives in the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia.
We have covered the Notice Paper and the Programme in recent weeks and this week we will turn to the Minutes of Proceedings and Hansard.
Minutes of Proceedings
The Norfolk Island Act 1979, s.44, requires Minutes of Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly to be kept and to be made available for inspection or purchase. The Clerk to the Legislative Assembly produces the Minutes of Proceedings, and in normal circumstances, they are available within seven days on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Minutes of Proceedings.
Hansard
Hansard, in brief, is the informal title for the verbatim printed reports of what is said in the Assembly; and whilst it has no statutory origin in Norfolk Island. Hansard is the only complete and permanent record of the full debates of the Legislative Assembly. The history of Hansard is interesting to note. From the second half of the sixteenth century the British Parliament prohibited all reporting and publishing of its proceedings. The Parliament believed it should deliberate in private and regarded any attempt to publicise its proceedings as a serious, punishable offence. By the late eighteenth century dissension among more progressive Members of Parliament, the growing weight of public opinion and the increasingly outspoken attacks of the press, persuaded the Parliament to relax its stance and in 1803, the Legislative Assembly of Commons passed a resolution giving the press the right to enter the Public Gallery. That same year William Cobbett, publisher of Cobbett's Weekly Political Register, added to his newspaper a supplement entitled Parliamentary Debates, which was a reprint of journalists’ reports of speeches extracted from other newspapers.
In 1812 that publication was taken over by Cobbett's assistant, T.C. Hansard, who in 1829 changed the title of the reports to Hansard's Parliamentary Debates. By the late 1870s dissatisfaction with the accuracy of the report was being expressed. As a result parliament voted Hansard the sum of 300 pounds a year for shorthand assistance. The Hansard family continued to produce the Parliamentary Debates until 1889. Other publishers continued to print transcripts of the debates until in 1909 the House of Commons took control of the reporting and printing of parliamentary debates. It was, however, during the 60 years of the Hansard family's publication that the name Hansard became synonymous with the printed debates. In 1943 the British Parliament reinstated the name Hansard in the title of its formal records. And as they say, the rest is history!
By way of interest In the 23 July issue of Your Parliament Your Voice, I mentioned that the Legislative Assembly was that evening hosting a small reception 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.Macca has now posted a write up on his Norfolk run on the blog site http://www.suno.co.nz/Blogs/macca/.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 6 August 2010.
The Norfolk Island Act of 1979 (Clth), section 45, provides – That the Legislative Assembly may make standing rules and orders, not inconsistent with a law of the Territory, with respect to the order and conduct of its business and proceedings. These are commonly referred to as The Standing Orders and they may be accessed on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Standing Orders. Drafting of the original Standing Orders was done with the assistance of the Clerks of the House of Representatives (Clth) back in 1979 with subsequent changes being made over the years; the most recent change being made in this Assembly was in April when the House changed Standing Order 20B to provide that, in addition to the Speaker ex officio, the number of members on the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee be increased from two to three. Standing Order No. 1 provides our Assembly with a general rule that – Any questions relating to procedure or the conduct of business of the House not provided for in our Assembly’s Standing Orders shall be decided according to the practice in the House of Representatives in the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia.
We have covered the Notice Paper and the Programme in recent weeks and this week we will turn to the Minutes of Proceedings and Hansard.
Minutes of Proceedings
The Norfolk Island Act 1979, s.44, requires Minutes of Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly to be kept and to be made available for inspection or purchase. The Clerk to the Legislative Assembly produces the Minutes of Proceedings, and in normal circumstances, they are available within seven days on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Minutes of Proceedings.
Hansard
Hansard, in brief, is the informal title for the verbatim printed reports of what is said in the Assembly; and whilst it has no statutory origin in Norfolk Island. Hansard is the only complete and permanent record of the full debates of the Legislative Assembly. The history of Hansard is interesting to note. From the second half of the sixteenth century the British Parliament prohibited all reporting and publishing of its proceedings. The Parliament believed it should deliberate in private and regarded any attempt to publicise its proceedings as a serious, punishable offence. By the late eighteenth century dissension among more progressive Members of Parliament, the growing weight of public opinion and the increasingly outspoken attacks of the press, persuaded the Parliament to relax its stance and in 1803, the Legislative Assembly of Commons passed a resolution giving the press the right to enter the Public Gallery. That same year William Cobbett, publisher of Cobbett's Weekly Political Register, added to his newspaper a supplement entitled Parliamentary Debates, which was a reprint of journalists’ reports of speeches extracted from other newspapers.
In 1812 that publication was taken over by Cobbett's assistant, T.C. Hansard, who in 1829 changed the title of the reports to Hansard's Parliamentary Debates. By the late 1870s dissatisfaction with the accuracy of the report was being expressed. As a result parliament voted Hansard the sum of 300 pounds a year for shorthand assistance. The Hansard family continued to produce the Parliamentary Debates until 1889. Other publishers continued to print transcripts of the debates until in 1909 the House of Commons took control of the reporting and printing of parliamentary debates. It was, however, during the 60 years of the Hansard family's publication that the name Hansard became synonymous with the printed debates. In 1943 the British Parliament reinstated the name Hansard in the title of its formal records. And as they say, the rest is history!
By way of interest In the 23 July issue of Your Parliament Your Voice, I mentioned that the Legislative Assembly was that evening hosting a small reception 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.Macca has now posted a write up on his Norfolk run on the blog site http://www.suno.co.nz/Blogs/macca/.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 6 August 2010.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Media Release
NORFOLK ISLAND CONVICT SITE ADDED TO THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST
Federal Environment Protection and Heritage Minister, Peter Garrett, and Norfolk Island Chief Minister, David Buffett, have welcomed an announcement by the World Heritage Committee that Norfolk Island’s Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area has been included on the World Heritage List as part of the Australian Convict Sites inscription.
“Norfolk Island’s convict site is a rich historical landscape, where lessons from the past are relevant to the whole world,” said Mr Garrett.
“It holds a visual record of harsh and brutal conditions endured by forced penal migrants for more than 60 years from 1788, but it is also associated with innovative developments in the rehabilitation of criminals, that were later modelled to the rest of the world in the 1840s.
“The Norfolk Island story is part of a phenomenon in world history, the forced migration of prisoners to far-flung places, and their subsequent role in developing the cultural life and the economy of the places they were sent to.”
Mr Buffett welcomed the decision as being important for Norfolk Island.
“The Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area had a reputation as one of the harshest and cruelest of Australia's penal settlements. A convict settlement spanning 1788-1855, it today comprises a large group of buildings from the convict era, some of which have been modified during the Pitcairn period (from 1856 to the present), substantial ruins and standing structures, archaeological remains, landform and landscape elements.
“Gaining World Heritage status will be good for Norfolk Island and stimulate tourism,” Mr. Buffett said.
“The process involved lengthy consultations and much hard work on the part of property managers and the community. I am extremely proud of the Island for getting this site onto the list,” Mr Buffett said.
The other sites that together make up Australia’s 18th World Heritage listing are:
• Old Government House and Domain, Hyde Park Barracks, Cockatoo Island Convict Site and Old Great North Road in New South Wales
• Fremantle Prison in Western Australia
• Brickendon and Woolmers Estates, Darlington Probation Station, Port Arthur Historic Site, Coal Mines Historic Site and the Cascades Female Factory in Tasmania
The Australian Convict Sites join more than 850 of the world’s most special places given this prestigious international recognition. Some other Australian places on the World Heritage List are the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, Shark Bay, and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
The Australian Convict Sites are also included on the National Heritage List and are protected under national environment law.
For more information and images go to www.heritage.gov.au
Media contacts: (Mr Garrett) Ben Pratt 0419 968 734
(Mr Buffett) Elizabeth Burns 0011 6723 22003
Federal Environment Protection and Heritage Minister, Peter Garrett, and Norfolk Island Chief Minister, David Buffett, have welcomed an announcement by the World Heritage Committee that Norfolk Island’s Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area has been included on the World Heritage List as part of the Australian Convict Sites inscription.
“Norfolk Island’s convict site is a rich historical landscape, where lessons from the past are relevant to the whole world,” said Mr Garrett.
“It holds a visual record of harsh and brutal conditions endured by forced penal migrants for more than 60 years from 1788, but it is also associated with innovative developments in the rehabilitation of criminals, that were later modelled to the rest of the world in the 1840s.
“The Norfolk Island story is part of a phenomenon in world history, the forced migration of prisoners to far-flung places, and their subsequent role in developing the cultural life and the economy of the places they were sent to.”
Mr Buffett welcomed the decision as being important for Norfolk Island.
“The Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area had a reputation as one of the harshest and cruelest of Australia's penal settlements. A convict settlement spanning 1788-1855, it today comprises a large group of buildings from the convict era, some of which have been modified during the Pitcairn period (from 1856 to the present), substantial ruins and standing structures, archaeological remains, landform and landscape elements.
“Gaining World Heritage status will be good for Norfolk Island and stimulate tourism,” Mr. Buffett said.
“The process involved lengthy consultations and much hard work on the part of property managers and the community. I am extremely proud of the Island for getting this site onto the list,” Mr Buffett said.
The other sites that together make up Australia’s 18th World Heritage listing are:
• Old Government House and Domain, Hyde Park Barracks, Cockatoo Island Convict Site and Old Great North Road in New South Wales
• Fremantle Prison in Western Australia
• Brickendon and Woolmers Estates, Darlington Probation Station, Port Arthur Historic Site, Coal Mines Historic Site and the Cascades Female Factory in Tasmania
The Australian Convict Sites join more than 850 of the world’s most special places given this prestigious international recognition. Some other Australian places on the World Heritage List are the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, Shark Bay, and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
The Australian Convict Sites are also included on the National Heritage List and are protected under national environment law.
For more information and images go to www.heritage.gov.au
Media contacts: (Mr Garrett) Ben Pratt 0419 968 734
(Mr Buffett) Elizabeth Burns 0011 6723 22003
28 July Legislative Assembly Sitting & The Programme
The following substantive matters were discussed at the meeting of the Legislative Assembly this week:
•Authorisation under section 17A(1)(e) of the Immigration Act 1980 for Rauni and Nalani Lange to make application for a general entry permit. The motion was passed with the Minister advising the House that this was the first occasion that the Assembly had been asked to approve an application of this nature under the Immigration Act.
•Appointment for 12 months under the Public Sector Management Act 2000 of Frederick John Grose as a member of the Public Service Board and of David John South as a deputy of a Board Member of the Public Sector Board. The motions were passed.
•The Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010 was presented and then referred by the House to the Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee for its consideration and report back to the House. Members on the Committee are Tim Sheridan, Mike King and Melissa Ward with Lisle Snell as the alternate member. Mr Sheridan has stood down from serving on the Committee during this inquiry because he is the Minister introducing the Bill. Mr. Snell will sit on the committee in his place.
•The three motions introduced at the 23 June 2010 sitting to transfer the registration of tourist accommodation units were all agreed to, with minor amendments. Subject to compliance with conditions specified in the motions approving the transfers, the motions achieve the following:
oTransfer of one unit from “The Bounty Lodge” to “Buck’s Point House”’
oTransfer of one unit from “Castaway Hotel and Apartments” to “Hideaway Retreat”
oTransfer of one unit from “The Bounty Lodge” to “Ball Bay House”.
The period prescribed in the Standing Orders for asking Questions without Notice is 60 minutes. Time was extended by 30 minutes at this sitting to accommodate the asking of further questions. Answers were provided to 11 of the 14 Questions on Notice and some 17 papers were tabled in the House at various stages of the proceedings. This would probably be a record for the number of papers tabled at one sitting since the inauguration of the Legislative Assembly in August 1979.
The formal Minutes of Proceedings of the business conducted in the Assembly will be published within seven days on www.info.gov.nf under the heading Legislative Assembly/Minutes of Proceedings.
To accommodate Members official and private travel in August and September the Legislative Assembly resolved to not meet again formally until 22 September 2010. Notwithstanding this decision, Members will continue to come together on a Tuesday as they do at present to discuss matters of topical interest in a more informal forum. In recent weeks Members have been discussing whether there is merit in the Assembly meeting every six weeks rather than monthly; and whilst no firm decision has been taken on this possibility, the lengthy time between now and the next sitting date in September will be used to assess whether the adoption of a six week meeting calendar could have merit. I would find it most helpful if members of the community have a view on this proposal to email me on speaker@assembly.gov.nf or write to, or phone me at, the Legislative Assembly.
Last week I undertook to share with you each week some of the procedures of the Legislative Assembly, so let’s continue.
The Programme
The Programme (always printed on blue paper) details the actual business that is to be transacted at a meeting of the Legislative Assembly. The order of business on the programme is prescribed in Standing Order 78. Should the Assembly wish to change the order of business as prescribed in Standing Order 78, it is necessary to move a motion under standing order 244 to suspend so much of standing orders as is needed in order to accommodate the change. Matters for listing on the Programme should be lodged with the Clerk by 10 am on the day before the sitting of the House. The Clerk prepares and circulates the Programme by email/hard copy on the day before a meeting of the Legislative Assembly.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 30 July 2010.
•Authorisation under section 17A(1)(e) of the Immigration Act 1980 for Rauni and Nalani Lange to make application for a general entry permit. The motion was passed with the Minister advising the House that this was the first occasion that the Assembly had been asked to approve an application of this nature under the Immigration Act.
•Appointment for 12 months under the Public Sector Management Act 2000 of Frederick John Grose as a member of the Public Service Board and of David John South as a deputy of a Board Member of the Public Sector Board. The motions were passed.
•The Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010 was presented and then referred by the House to the Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee for its consideration and report back to the House. Members on the Committee are Tim Sheridan, Mike King and Melissa Ward with Lisle Snell as the alternate member. Mr Sheridan has stood down from serving on the Committee during this inquiry because he is the Minister introducing the Bill. Mr. Snell will sit on the committee in his place.
•The three motions introduced at the 23 June 2010 sitting to transfer the registration of tourist accommodation units were all agreed to, with minor amendments. Subject to compliance with conditions specified in the motions approving the transfers, the motions achieve the following:
oTransfer of one unit from “The Bounty Lodge” to “Buck’s Point House”’
oTransfer of one unit from “Castaway Hotel and Apartments” to “Hideaway Retreat”
oTransfer of one unit from “The Bounty Lodge” to “Ball Bay House”.
The period prescribed in the Standing Orders for asking Questions without Notice is 60 minutes. Time was extended by 30 minutes at this sitting to accommodate the asking of further questions. Answers were provided to 11 of the 14 Questions on Notice and some 17 papers were tabled in the House at various stages of the proceedings. This would probably be a record for the number of papers tabled at one sitting since the inauguration of the Legislative Assembly in August 1979.
The formal Minutes of Proceedings of the business conducted in the Assembly will be published within seven days on www.info.gov.nf under the heading Legislative Assembly/Minutes of Proceedings.
To accommodate Members official and private travel in August and September the Legislative Assembly resolved to not meet again formally until 22 September 2010. Notwithstanding this decision, Members will continue to come together on a Tuesday as they do at present to discuss matters of topical interest in a more informal forum. In recent weeks Members have been discussing whether there is merit in the Assembly meeting every six weeks rather than monthly; and whilst no firm decision has been taken on this possibility, the lengthy time between now and the next sitting date in September will be used to assess whether the adoption of a six week meeting calendar could have merit. I would find it most helpful if members of the community have a view on this proposal to email me on speaker@assembly.gov.nf or write to, or phone me at, the Legislative Assembly.
Last week I undertook to share with you each week some of the procedures of the Legislative Assembly, so let’s continue.
The Programme
The Programme (always printed on blue paper) details the actual business that is to be transacted at a meeting of the Legislative Assembly. The order of business on the programme is prescribed in Standing Order 78. Should the Assembly wish to change the order of business as prescribed in Standing Order 78, it is necessary to move a motion under standing order 244 to suspend so much of standing orders as is needed in order to accommodate the change. Matters for listing on the Programme should be lodged with the Clerk by 10 am on the day before the sitting of the House. The Clerk prepares and circulates the Programme by email/hard copy on the day before a meeting of the Legislative Assembly.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 30 July 2010.
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