From the Office of the Speaker 7 June 2012

“Your Parliament – Your Voice”

From the Office of the Speaker

Ceremonial sitting of the Legislative Assembly on 6 June 2012

As part of our Island’s celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee the Assembly met at 10 am on Wednesday 6 June in the Chamber to formally commemorate the occasion. It was an honour to welcome His Honour the Administrator and Mrs Pope to the ceremonial proceedings. Our other invited guests included Rev Phillip Bassett who led us in Prayers, Mrs Bassett, Acting Official Secretary Mr Kenton Godfrey, Members of the Diamond Jubilee Organising Committee, the Speaker of the Youth Assembly Miss Sophie Donohoe and the Assembly Clerk, Miss Tarea Magri, who were accompanied by their mentor Mrs Trish Magri and the Deputy Headmaster Mr Mark Hall. Monsieur Frederic Mouchet, a professional photographer from Canberra, assisted with photographing the proceedings for posterity. Stirring addresses were given by His Honour the Administrator Mr Neil Pope, the Chief Minister Hon David Buffett AM MLA, the Minister for Community Services the Hon Tim Sheridan MLA and the Deputy Speaker Mr Lisle Snell MLA.  The Speaker has undertaken to have a Hansard of the sitting accompany the community card and gift which are to be sent next week to Her Majesty.

Our report on the formal proceedings of the House which followed the ceremonial sitting will be published next week.

Thank you from the Speaker

In addition to the Diamond Jubilee Organising Committee there are so many people in this wonderful community who have worked very hard behind the scenes to ensure that our tiny island’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations have been the success that they are. There are too many to name personally.  However  we do need to acknowledge the following for their generosity:  Mrs Kay Murray (nee McCoy) who allowed the use of “Commie and Marie’s paddock” where the community and our school children gathered Monday afternoon to witness the unveiling of the commemorative plaque on Queen Elizabeth Avenue. To Mr Chris Gatehouse for providing and lighting “our beacon” on Queen Elizabeth Lookout on Monday night in challenging weather – thank you Chris.  To Mr Milton Bradley and the Norfolk Lions Club for providing the public address system; to Wesley James Cooper for leading us in fine voice singing “God Save the Queen” and to the Community Arts Society for producing “a fine splendid” card for the community to sign – thank you for volunteering your services.  The celebrations of course continue in the months ahead culminating, we trust, in a visit in November of Prince Charles and Lady Camilla.

Bounty Day and the Isle of Man

Of course when you read this we will have already celebrated Bounty Day and had a wonderful time. On the opposite page you will see a message to the community from the Hon Clare Christian MP, President of Tynwald, the Parliament in the Isle of Man. The message will of course have been read out at the Bounty Day picnic.  This year we also flew the flag of the Isle of Man in pride of place alongside the Tahitian flag as both of these flags mark an important part of our journey since the Mutiny on the Bounty to the arrival of the Pitcairners on Norfolk Island in 1856.

The next sitting of the Legislative Assembly is scheduled for Wednesday 20 June 2012 at 10 am

To read the Notice Paper, Programme, Minutes of Proceedings and legislation tabled in the House go to www.info.gov.nf. Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 7 June 2012 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com