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“Your Parliament – Your Voice”

From the Office of the Speaker

Matters brought before the Legislative Assembly on 11 July 2012

The Legislative Assembly met at 10 am on Wednesday 11 July. All Members were present.

The House rose for a period of silence to acknowledge the passing of Noel Joseph May

Answers were provided both to questions without notice and on notice and the following papers were tabled:

1) Chief Minister – Australian Information Commissioner – Privacy fact sheet

2) Minister for Tourism, Development and Industry – Civil Aviation Safety Authority – Exemption

3) Minister for Community Services – Traffic (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

4) Minister for Community Services – Waste Management (Amendment) Regulations 2012

5) Minister for Community Services – Ministerial Direction to the Norfolk Island Hospital Enterprise

6) Chief Minister – Criminal Code Regulations 2012

7) Chief Minister - Waste Management (Amendment) Regulations 2012

8) Chief Minister - Postal Services (Amendment) Regulations 2012

9) Chief Minister - Virement of Funds Advice

10) Chief Minister - Norfolk Island Museum Trust Annual Accounts 2012

11) Chief Minister – Customs Act 1913 – Approved Exemptions

12) Minister for Tourism, Development and Industry – Norfolk Island Gaming Authority licence Bookmaker.com.au Pty Ltd

13) Minister for Tourism, Development and Industry – Norfolk Island Gaming Authority licence Worldwide Wagering Pty Ltd

14) Minister for Tourism, Development and Industry –Gaming Act 1998 – Report

15) Minister for Tourism, Development and Industry –Bookmakers and Betting Exchange Act 1998 – Reports

16) Speaker – Cultural Agreement between Isle of Man and Norfolk Island – Your Parliament Your Voice Report on Tynwald Day dated 5 July 2012

The following statements were made

Chief Minister – Immigration Development Working Group

Speaker - Assessment of the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly Hansard system and IT requirements

Speaker – Cultural Agreement between Isle of Man and Norfolk Island – Report on Norfolk Island’s recognition of Tynwald Day; the Speaker read the letters exchanged between the Speaker and President Christian (see below for next of letters)

The Speaker read Message No 29 from the Administrator under section 21 of the Norfolk Island Act 1979 advising that on 26 June 2012 he declared his assent to the Supply Act 2012.

Outcomes for matters on the Notice Paper which were debated are as follows:

1. The motion titled “Preferred model of self government and taxation for Norfolk Island” was debated and passed with Mrs Griffiths and Mr Snell dissenting, and Ms Adams advising her abstention on the grounds that a referendum was required. The House resolved to:

a) Endorse the Norfolk Island Government’s commitment to participation in the Australian taxation and social security systems to deliver a net benefit to its community and to express a preference for the earliest introduction of those systems, and

b) Affirms the inclusion of the island into the Australian GST and transfer payment system

c) Reaffirm a preferred model for future self-governance as set out in the motion of the Legislative Assembly dated 3rd August 2011, and

d) Commit to return core functions of Government through staged divestment of commercial enterprises using the Competition Principles Agreement 1995 as a policy framework

e) Prepare and commit to an itemised timetable for the reduction and/or removal of barriers to investment and competition, reflecting a reasonable and balanced approach to individual areas, and

f) Commit to supporting amendments to the Norfolk Island Act 1979 necessary to achieve the outcomes set out in this motion.

2. The House unanimously endorsed the appointment of Mr Rael Donde as a member of the Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau Advisory Board consequent on the resignation of Alistair John Unicomb as a member.

3. The House unanimously endorsed exemption of payment of customs duty as follows: wire cables for fishing boat cranes imported by the Norfolk Island Fishing Association and an electronic score board for the Norfolk Island Junior ‘Rugby League;

4. A motion moved by Mr King to note the financial accounts and audit report for the year 2010/11 tabled by the Chief Minister on 6 June meeting of the House was agreed on the voices

5. The Ombudsman Bill 2011 together with amendments dated 5 June 2012 and tabled at an earlier sitting was unanimously agreed to

6. The Lighterage (Amendment) Bill 2012 was agreed to, Mr Snell and Ms Adams dissenting

The Legislative Assembly will next meet on 8 August 2012 at 10 am.

Tynwald Day and the Isle of Man

In the 5 July edition of Your Parliament Your Voice we reported on how Norfolk acknowledged the Isle of Man’s National Day – Tynwald Day. Under our Cultural Agreement with the Isle of Man we have agreed that as each step is progressed under the Agreement that recognition should be marked in the Hansard of both Parliaments. Accordingly the Speaker read the following letters into Hansard at the 11 July sitting.

The Hon Clare M Christian BSc

President of Tynwald

Legislative Buildings

Douglas … Isle of Man .. IMI 3PW

BRITISH ISLES

Dear Madam President,

It gives me great pleasure to extend best wishes to you, your Parliament and the people of the Isle of Man as you come together to celebrate your National Day, Tynwald Day, on 5 July 2012.

To acknowledge and honour Tynwald Day here on Norfolk Manx music is being played from 2 to 6 July 2012 on our local radio station VL2NI.

On 5 July 2012 the Manx Flag will be flying alongside the Norfolk Island and Australian flags outside the Legislative Assembly Buildings at Old Military Barracks and at 8 am that morning I am talking, live to air, on our local radio station about your National Day.

It gives me so much pleasure to reflect back on my visit to the Isle of Man as your guest for last years Tynwald Day and to have participated in, and witnessed first hand the ancient ceremonies and traditions in which your parliamentary practices and traditions are steeped. The Cultural Agreement entered into between our respective parliaments acknowledges our historical links and encourages cultural activity to be developed between our two Islands and it has for me been a most rewarding first twelve months with many activities and links formed under this Agreement. I look forward to recording our future accomplishments.

My Assembly colleagues join me in sending you and your colleagues very warm wishes from our side of the world for another wonderful Tynwald Day. May you be blessed with brilliant sunshine and bright blue skies during the day’s proceedings.

Yours sincerely