Norfolk Women's Forum a success. Commonwealth Parliamentary Association acknowledges Norfolk Island

The 4th Norfolk Women’s Forum (NWF) which was held last Sunday evening at Governor’s Lodge was well attended by women from our community; and those gentlemen who joined the gathering were also warmly welcomed. Our congratulations to the Forum organisers for a very professionally conducted event. The 20 plus women who spoke covered a broad range of issues of community concern and it is understood that the Forum will be bringing those concerns to the attention of government in order for solutions to be achieved or worked on.

I found it both interesting and synchronistic to have a communication crossed my desk this week from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Headquarters (CPA) in London advising of the observance of Commonwealth Day on 14 March 2011; and to note that the theme for 2011 is “Women as Agents of Change”!

As part of the observance of Commonwealth Day in London, the CPA offers the opportunity for CPA Branches to nominate up to two young people, ideally one male, one female, to attend the Commonwealth Day Celebrations held there. The age group for nominees is 18 to 25 who must have shown an interest in commonwealth and parliamentary affairs, displayed potential leadership qualities and already have planned to be in London on Commonwealth Day. Over the years quite a few of our Norfolk youth have attended the celebrations in London – Martin and Melissa Snell, Joel and Samantha Quintal and Raylene Nobbs are just some who come to mind. Others have attended CPA hosted Youth Parliaments in London and Kelly Muir was one of those attendees.

Norfolk Island is held in very high esteem by this international organisation and just this week I see in Issue three of The Parliamentarian photo of Secretary General of the CPA, Dr William Shija, shaking hands with Deputy Speaker Lisle Snell at the Nairobi Conference held in September this year. The Parliamentarian is the Journal of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth and the photo is published in “The Secretary-General’s Commonwealth Gallery”

If you are aware of young Norfolk people who may meet the above requirements please contact the Clerk, Mrs Gaye Evans JP, on 22003 or email clerk@assembly.gov.nf before Friday 7 January 2011.

Well this is the last issue for 2010 of Your Parliament Your Voice. May the festive season be special for you and your families; and may we work in harmony towards taking our beautiful Island into a prosperous place to live in, in 2011 and beyond.

Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 16 December 2010

Memorandum of Understanding and the Fourth Norfolk Women's Forum

I have received requests for copies of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered into between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Norfolk Island Government re Financial Assistance for Essential Services for Norfolk Island. Readers will recall the Chief Minister reporting to the House on 1 December 2010 that the Commonwealth had agreed to provide certain funding for this purpose until the end of the current financial year, subject to the parties formulating “a detailed agreement which would set out the terms and conditions under which the funding would be provided.” The next step is the formulation of the funding agreement.

The MOU, which was tabled in the Assembly by the Chief Minister on 1 December, can be accessed on the front page of the Norfolk Telecom website www.ni.net.nf under the heading New Links. If you are unable to access a computer please phone 22003 and request a copy.

The 4^th Norfolk Women’s Forum (NWF) will be held this Sunday evening, the 12^th of December, at Governor’s Lodge commencing at 7 pm and an invitation has been extended to all Members of the Legislative Assembly to attend. The concept of the NWF came from two initiatives - the first was the International Women’s Day event in 2007; followed by Mrs Vicky Jack, when Government Minister responsible for social services in an earlier Assembly, bringing together women from all walks of life on Norfolk, seeking their views, concerns and suggested solutions to issues that they felt were important to our community. The Forum’s aim is to give all women a voice and I quote “to see that all issues put forward are documented and that solutions are then achieved or worked toward.”

It is understood that Senator Kate Lundy and Ms Gai Brodtmann MP, ALP member for the ACT seat of Canberra are visiting the Island over the weekend and will attend the Forum as will Mr Robert Patch who returns to the Island for his third visit arriving Sunday.

The role of women in politics is always a key item on the agenda for the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Group (the CWPG) and I as Speaker of our Legislative Assembly Member am the Norfolk Island delegate on the Australian Branch of the CWPG. The annual meeting of the CWPG international body is timed to coincide with the annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and this year those meetings were held in Nairobi Kenya. I was interested today to receive a copy of a paper presented at the Nairobi CWPG meeting by the Hon Helen Coonan MP from the Australian Federal Parliament titled “Reform of Political Parties – Working Towards Democracy”. With this week’s focus on the Norfolk Women’s Forum I thought I would share with you some interesting statistics on female representation in Australian Government mentioned in Ms Coonan’s paper and I quote -

“As women in Federal Parliament it is pleasing to see that the proportion of women in the Parliament of Australia has risen over the past ten or so years. In 1999, 22 per cent of members of the House of Representatives were women and 32 per cent of Senators were female. In the beginning of 2010, the representation of women had risen to 28 per cent in the House of Representatives and 35 per cent in the Senate.”

The representation of women in the Thirteenth Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island is of course 33 per cent!

Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 10 December 2010

December Sitting of the House

The Legislative Assembly met on 1 December 2010 at 10 am and concluded shortly after 5 pm.

The first substantive matter on the Programme was a Matter of Public Importance raised by the Chief Minister, the Hon David Buffett AM who reported on the outcome of a meeting in Canberra to discuss financial assistance by the Commonwealth of Australia. During discussion on the matter of public importance the Chief Minister tabled the Memorandum of Understanding in respect of ‘Financial Assistance for Essential Services on Norfolk Island’ signed and dated 25 November 2010 for and on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia by the Hon Simon Crean, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government and signed for and on behalf of the Government of Norfolk Island by the Hon David Buffett AM MLA, Chief Minister. A motion being moved – That the House take note of the paper – debate on that motion was adjourned for further consideration later in the sitting. Debate resumed on the motion after the lunch break and was amended to include the words “and printed” in order to facilitate the paper being made available more widely than standing order 197 currently provides.

The House also addressed the following matters:

• Approval was given under paragraph 17A(1)(e) of the Immigration Act 1980 that Michael Jon Porter Jr, Ashley June Porter; and Eli Michael Porter be authorised to make an application for a general entry permit under the Act;
• Nadia Cuthbertson, Morgan Evans and David Porter were re-appointed to the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau for the period 1 January 2011 to 20 April 2011;
• Raewyn Florence Evans was appointed as a community member of the Social Services Board for a period of 3 years commencing on the day on which the instrument of appointment is signed;
• The House considered a proposal under section 15A of the Tourist Accommodation Act 1982 to transfer, subject to specified conditions, the registration of the licence of one unit from “Castaway Hotel and Apartments” to portion 21k Selwyn Pine Road known as “Ahstyk”. Debate has been adjourned;
• The House also considered a proposal under section 15A of the Tourist Accommodation Act 1982 to transfer, subject to specified conditions, the registration of the licence of one unit from “Castaway Hotel and Apartments” to portion 93u New Farm Road, being the tourist accommodation house to be known as “Rocky Point Lodge”; Debate has been adjourned.
• The motion moved by Mr King in relation to deregulation of telecommunications was debated and adjourned;
• The Road Traffic (Amendment No. 3) Bill 2010 was introduced, debated and adjourned on the question – That the Bill be agreed to in principle;
• The House gave leave to the withdrawal of order of the day No. 1 on the programme relating to a statement made at the November sitting concerning the Administration Telecommunications Infrastructure.

This week has seen the visit of Mr Robert Patch, Director, Norfolk Island Section, Territories East Branch, Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government. Mr Patch, who recently joined the Territories Branch, was visiting for the second time at the request of Federal Minister Crean to meet the people and to familiarise himself with Norfolk Island. A comprehensive programme of activities was prepared for his visit in order to give him the greatest opportunity to “meet and talk with the people”, including a public meeting at Rawson Hall to allow for community questions on issues pertaining to the reform process and the ongoing partnership with the Commonwealth Government to provide a sustainable future for Norfolk Island.. The House welcomed Mr Patch to the public gallery of the Assembly Chamber at the sitting on Wednesday.

The next sitting of the Legislative Assembly is scheduled for 19 January 2011.

Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 3 December 2010