“Your Parliament – Your Voice”
From the Office of the Speaker
The following is a summary of some of the matters dealt with at the sitting of the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday 22 September 2010:
• Answers were provided to the majority of the 21 Questions on Notice.
• A number of papers were tabled including an exposure draft of the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau (Amendment) Bill 2010 and explanatory memorandum. The explanatory memorandum reads –
The intent of this Bill is to change the organisation structure of the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau as established under the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau Act 1980. The revised structure will resemble that established for the Norfolk Island Hospital Enterprise under the Norfolk Island Hospital Act 1985. To that end the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau will retain its name and corporate identity but the powers (including employment) of the Bureau and day to day management of Bureau activities will be exercised by a general manager. There will be an Advisory Board, of 5 persons nominated by the executive member in accordance with a resolution of the Legislative Assembly (two of whom may be nominated by a recognised association). These members will hold office for 3 years and may be re-appointed. The executive member will appoint the chairperson. The general manager will be appointed by the executive member on the recommendation of the Advisory Board. The NIGTB Advisory Board will act in relation to the Bureau in the same way as does the Hospital Advisory Board to the Hospital Enterprise. The Advisory Board will be a source of advice on strategy and direction regarding the Bureau and development of the tourism industry.
Copies of the exposure draft of this Bill and Explanatory Memorandum are available from Mrs. Jan Keeping in the Legal Services Unit at the Norfolk Island Administration or on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly Exposure Drafts of Bills.
• Several statements were made by Ministers of the Norfolk Island Government and they can be found elsewhere in Norfolk Online.
• The transfer of one tourist accommodation unit from the tourist accommodation house known as “Cumberland Resort and Spa” to portion Lot 49 Mountbatten Park was approved subject to prescribed conditions
• Approval was given for exemption of payment of customs duty by Banyan Park Play Centre for playground equipment and by Norfolk Island Amateur Sports and Commonwealth Games Association for uniforms for the Commonwealth Games Team
• The House approved the re-appointment to the Norfolk Island Museum Trust of Owen Edward John Walsh for the period 23 September 2010 to 22 September 2012
• The motion moved by Mr. King that the House rescind its order made on 28 July 2010 was agreed
• The Chief Minister at the 28 July 2010 sitting of the House tabled a draft determination of Organisational Structure of the Public Service under the Public Sector Management Act 2000. The House agreed the making of the new Organisational Structure.
• At the 28 July 2010 sitting of the House a letter dated 15 July 2010 from Minister Anderson to Hon Brendon O’Connor MP re Norfolk Island Government Budget 2010-2011 was tabled by Minister Anderson and a motion – That the House take note of the paper and the paper be endorsed – was moved and adjourned by Mr. King. The motion was subsequently passed at the sitting this week.
Our Commonwealth Games contingent leaves on the weekend for New Delhi India where they will represent Norfolk at the Commonwealth Games there. Our Minister for Community Services, the Hon. Tim Sheridan MLA, will represent Norfolk in lawn bowls.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 24 September 2010 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com/
Assemby documents can be accessed on www.info.gov.nf
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Radio Link Up with Lord Howe Island
Your Parliament – Your Voice”
From the Office of the Speaker
Sitting programme for the Legislative Assembly for the remainder of the year
The Assembly next meets on Wednesday 22 September 2010 at 10 am and elsewhere in the paper you will find substantive matters scheduled for consideration at the sitting. Further sittings of the Assembly are then scheduled for 3 November and 15 December 2010, with a Ceremonial Sitting proposed to be held on Wednesday 27 October to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island. Comprehensive detail about the Anniversary Celebrations will be published when to hand.
Radio link up with Lord Howe Island
Last week I foreshadowed a possible radio link up with the CEO of the Lord Howe Island Board and that happened on Thursday morning at 10 am when Chief Minister David Buffett, Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development Andre Nobbs and I spoke with Stephen Wills for some 40 minutes about how the Lord Howe Island community, with the support of the Lord Howe Island Board, went about developing and launching their community strategy to take them from 2010-2015. The Lord Howe Island Board encouraged the engagement of an independent facilitator to assist the community in this process, which it would seem worked very well in getting the community on board to express their views. This process is very much like that used by Norfolk Island Tourism in the development of the new Tourism Brand that was launched on Norfolk last November. The facilitator engaged by the Lord Howe Island community was Peter Kenyon – www.bankofideas.com.au – who works with 10 Key Community Development Beliefs which I will share here –
Belief 1.
Meaningful and lasting community change always originates from within, and local residents in that community are the best experts on how to activate that change.
Belief 2.
Community residents act responsibly when they care, and support what they create.
Belief 3.
Building and nourishing relationships is at the core of building healthy and inclusive communities.
Belief 4.
Communities have never been built by dwelling on their deficiencies, needs and problems. Communities respond creatively when the focus is on resources, capacities, strengths and aspirations.
Belief 5.
The strength of a community is directly proportional to the level that the diversity of its residents desire, and are able to contribute their abilities and assets to the well being of their community. Every single person has capacities, abilities, gifts and ideas, and living a good life depends on whether those capacities can be used, abilities expressed, gifts given and ideas shared.
Belief 6.
In every community something works. Instead of asking ‘What’s wrong, and how to fix it’, ask- ‘What’s worked, and how do we get more of it?’ It generates energy and creativity.
Belief 7.
Creating positive change begins simply with conversation. It is the way that human beings have always thought together, and initiated action.
Belief 8.
Having fun needs to be a high priority in all community building efforts.
Belief 9.
The central factor in sustainable change is local leadership and its continuous development and renewal.
Belief 10.
The starting point for change is always mindset and positive attitudes.
Elsewhere in the Islander the Chief Minister comments further on the radio link up and the draft document setting out the Direction for the 13th Legislative Assembly which is to be tabled in the Assembly next Wednesday.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 17 September 2010 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com/
From the Office of the Speaker
Sitting programme for the Legislative Assembly for the remainder of the year
The Assembly next meets on Wednesday 22 September 2010 at 10 am and elsewhere in the paper you will find substantive matters scheduled for consideration at the sitting. Further sittings of the Assembly are then scheduled for 3 November and 15 December 2010, with a Ceremonial Sitting proposed to be held on Wednesday 27 October to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island. Comprehensive detail about the Anniversary Celebrations will be published when to hand.
Radio link up with Lord Howe Island
Last week I foreshadowed a possible radio link up with the CEO of the Lord Howe Island Board and that happened on Thursday morning at 10 am when Chief Minister David Buffett, Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development Andre Nobbs and I spoke with Stephen Wills for some 40 minutes about how the Lord Howe Island community, with the support of the Lord Howe Island Board, went about developing and launching their community strategy to take them from 2010-2015. The Lord Howe Island Board encouraged the engagement of an independent facilitator to assist the community in this process, which it would seem worked very well in getting the community on board to express their views. This process is very much like that used by Norfolk Island Tourism in the development of the new Tourism Brand that was launched on Norfolk last November. The facilitator engaged by the Lord Howe Island community was Peter Kenyon – www.bankofideas.com.au – who works with 10 Key Community Development Beliefs which I will share here –
Belief 1.
Meaningful and lasting community change always originates from within, and local residents in that community are the best experts on how to activate that change.
Belief 2.
Community residents act responsibly when they care, and support what they create.
Belief 3.
Building and nourishing relationships is at the core of building healthy and inclusive communities.
Belief 4.
Communities have never been built by dwelling on their deficiencies, needs and problems. Communities respond creatively when the focus is on resources, capacities, strengths and aspirations.
Belief 5.
The strength of a community is directly proportional to the level that the diversity of its residents desire, and are able to contribute their abilities and assets to the well being of their community. Every single person has capacities, abilities, gifts and ideas, and living a good life depends on whether those capacities can be used, abilities expressed, gifts given and ideas shared.
Belief 6.
In every community something works. Instead of asking ‘What’s wrong, and how to fix it’, ask- ‘What’s worked, and how do we get more of it?’ It generates energy and creativity.
Belief 7.
Creating positive change begins simply with conversation. It is the way that human beings have always thought together, and initiated action.
Belief 8.
Having fun needs to be a high priority in all community building efforts.
Belief 9.
The central factor in sustainable change is local leadership and its continuous development and renewal.
Belief 10.
The starting point for change is always mindset and positive attitudes.
Elsewhere in the Islander the Chief Minister comments further on the radio link up and the draft document setting out the Direction for the 13th Legislative Assembly which is to be tabled in the Assembly next Wednesday.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 17 September 2010 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com/
Monday, September 13, 2010
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
“Your Parliament – Your Voice”
From the Office of the Speaker
Fostering ongoing international ties
The Deputy President of the Norfolk Island Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mr Lisle Snell MLA, is now in Nairobi, Kenya, where he is attending the 56th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference which this year will focus on “Parliament and Development in the 21st Century: Thus Far and Beyond”. This Conference is preceded by the two day 30th Small Branches Conference which is of particular relevance to Norfolk this year. The topics for discussion at this Conference will include ‘Energy and Environment: Achieving Sustainable Development’; ‘The Challenges of Sovereignty in Small States’; and ‘Parliament and Accountability – Strengthening Oversight in Small Parliaments’.
Norfolk Island has been a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, or the CPA as it is more commonly called, since 1980 and has been sending a delegate to this international Conference annually since the late 80’s with many beneficial outcomes for Norfolk Island as a consequence. The cost of delegate’s airfares, accommodation and meals are met from Conference funding.
What is the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association?
The CPA is an Association of Commonwealth Parliamentarians who, irrespective of gender, race, religion or culture, are united by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms, and by pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary democracy.
The Association's mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance. It seeks to build an informed parliamentary community able to deepen the Commonwealth's democratic commitment and to further co-operation among its Parliaments and Legislatures. This mission is achieved through a Strategic Plan which ensures CPA activities continue to meet the changing needs of today's Parliamentarians.
Active CPA Branches now exist in 175 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments, with a total membership of approximately 17,000 Parliamentarians.
Lord Howe Island endorses a Community Strategy for 2010 to 2015
In early August Lord Howe Island launched what they have termed “The Lord Howe Island Community Strategy 2010 – 2015 ‘Pride in our Island, United and Confident in our Future””. The Strategy “is an initiative of the Lord Howe Island community in response to the many uncertainties and difficulties that affect small and isolated communities. The island community has not previously developed an overall plan and the desire to create a cohesive and vibrant community led to a commitment to prepare a plan for our future. The preparation of the LHI Community Strategy was possible due to the commitment and financial support of the Lord Howe Island Board. The Board recognises the vital importance of community engagement and the benefit of local experience and resident participation in decision making and project implementation….” A copy of the Lord Howe document is available at CIRCA.
Lord Howe’s initiative is applauded by the Norfolk Island Government, and Minister Andre Nobbs and I spoke this week with the Chairman of the Lord Howe Island Board about the processes they followed to such a successful conclusion. We were all agreed it would be great to set up a radio link with their Board in the near future to discuss their Strategy while at the same time strengthening the already long standing, close ties between our two communities. The possible development of a similar Strategy by the Norfolk Island community in tandem with the forward Strategy of the Norfolk Island Government currently nearing completion is certainly “on our agenda”!
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 10 September 2010 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com/
From the Office of the Speaker
Fostering ongoing international ties
The Deputy President of the Norfolk Island Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mr Lisle Snell MLA, is now in Nairobi, Kenya, where he is attending the 56th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference which this year will focus on “Parliament and Development in the 21st Century: Thus Far and Beyond”. This Conference is preceded by the two day 30th Small Branches Conference which is of particular relevance to Norfolk this year. The topics for discussion at this Conference will include ‘Energy and Environment: Achieving Sustainable Development’; ‘The Challenges of Sovereignty in Small States’; and ‘Parliament and Accountability – Strengthening Oversight in Small Parliaments’.
Norfolk Island has been a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, or the CPA as it is more commonly called, since 1980 and has been sending a delegate to this international Conference annually since the late 80’s with many beneficial outcomes for Norfolk Island as a consequence. The cost of delegate’s airfares, accommodation and meals are met from Conference funding.
What is the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association?
The CPA is an Association of Commonwealth Parliamentarians who, irrespective of gender, race, religion or culture, are united by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms, and by pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary democracy.
The Association's mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance. It seeks to build an informed parliamentary community able to deepen the Commonwealth's democratic commitment and to further co-operation among its Parliaments and Legislatures. This mission is achieved through a Strategic Plan which ensures CPA activities continue to meet the changing needs of today's Parliamentarians.
Active CPA Branches now exist in 175 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments, with a total membership of approximately 17,000 Parliamentarians.
Lord Howe Island endorses a Community Strategy for 2010 to 2015
In early August Lord Howe Island launched what they have termed “The Lord Howe Island Community Strategy 2010 – 2015 ‘Pride in our Island, United and Confident in our Future””. The Strategy “is an initiative of the Lord Howe Island community in response to the many uncertainties and difficulties that affect small and isolated communities. The island community has not previously developed an overall plan and the desire to create a cohesive and vibrant community led to a commitment to prepare a plan for our future. The preparation of the LHI Community Strategy was possible due to the commitment and financial support of the Lord Howe Island Board. The Board recognises the vital importance of community engagement and the benefit of local experience and resident participation in decision making and project implementation….” A copy of the Lord Howe document is available at CIRCA.
Lord Howe’s initiative is applauded by the Norfolk Island Government, and Minister Andre Nobbs and I spoke this week with the Chairman of the Lord Howe Island Board about the processes they followed to such a successful conclusion. We were all agreed it would be great to set up a radio link with their Board in the near future to discuss their Strategy while at the same time strengthening the already long standing, close ties between our two communities. The possible development of a similar Strategy by the Norfolk Island community in tandem with the forward Strategy of the Norfolk Island Government currently nearing completion is certainly “on our agenda”!
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 10 September 2010 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com/
Friday, September 3, 2010
The work of the Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee continues……..
The Committee comprising Mr Michael King MLA (Chairman), Mrs Melissa Ward and Mr Lisle Snell (alternate member) is currently considering the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010 which was referred to the Committee by the House on 23 July 2010. Further public inquiries have been scheduled for 7 and 28 September 2010 and members of the public who would wish to speak with the Committee should contact the Committee Secretary Mrs Yvon Adams on 22003 or by email to yvonadams@assembly.gov.nf.
When a Bill is introduced into the Assembly it is usually accompanied by an explanatory memorandum. The explanatory memorandum to the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010 reads -
“The purpose of this Bill is to address issues concerning the application of the legislation and the administration of claims.
The Bill adopts the approach of other jurisdictions in the Commonwealth in seeking to avoid claims of work-related stress arising from normal employment processes. In providing for this the Bill includes several new definitions including that of what constitutes an “injury”. This definition excludes from the definition of injury that which results from reasonable administrative action taken in a reasonable manner in respect of the employee’s employment. This reasonable administrative action is in turn defined to relate to reasonable action taken in the workplace by or on behalf of an employer.
The Bill also seeks to make the administrative process clear by vesting responsibility in the Employment Liaison Officer (ELO) who is to have the day to day management and control of the investigation and determination of claims. While the ELO is subject to direction by the Chief Executive Officer and the executive member, the ELO cannot be directed by either in matters that affect employees of the Administration, public sector agencies or territory instrumentalities.”.
Copies of the Bill and/or the Explanatory Memorandum can be obtained from the Committee Secretary or accessed on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Bills introduced awaiting passage.
The House will next meet on Wednesday 22 September 2010 at 10 am.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 3 September 2010 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com/
When a Bill is introduced into the Assembly it is usually accompanied by an explanatory memorandum. The explanatory memorandum to the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2010 reads -
“The purpose of this Bill is to address issues concerning the application of the legislation and the administration of claims.
The Bill adopts the approach of other jurisdictions in the Commonwealth in seeking to avoid claims of work-related stress arising from normal employment processes. In providing for this the Bill includes several new definitions including that of what constitutes an “injury”. This definition excludes from the definition of injury that which results from reasonable administrative action taken in a reasonable manner in respect of the employee’s employment. This reasonable administrative action is in turn defined to relate to reasonable action taken in the workplace by or on behalf of an employer.
The Bill also seeks to make the administrative process clear by vesting responsibility in the Employment Liaison Officer (ELO) who is to have the day to day management and control of the investigation and determination of claims. While the ELO is subject to direction by the Chief Executive Officer and the executive member, the ELO cannot be directed by either in matters that affect employees of the Administration, public sector agencies or territory instrumentalities.”.
Copies of the Bill and/or the Explanatory Memorandum can be obtained from the Committee Secretary or accessed on www.info.gov.nf under Legislative Assembly/Bills introduced awaiting passage.
The House will next meet on Wednesday 22 September 2010 at 10 am.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 3 September 2010 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com/
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