November Sitting of the Legislative Assembly

“Your Parliament – Your Voice”

From the Office of the Speaker

November sitting of the Legislative Assembly

The Legislative Assembly met on Wednesday 21 November 2012 at 10 am and concluded at 4.48 pm with a lunch break from 11.35 am to 1.05 pm

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

1. Chief Minister – Gross Island Revenue April 2007 – September 2012 Graph
2. Chief Minister – CPA Costs
3. Speaker – Appointment of person to act as the Clerk to the Legislative Assembly
4. Chief Minister – Virement of Funds Advice
5. Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development – Draft Norfolk Island Tourism Strategic Plan 2012 to 2022
6. Minister for Community Services – Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2012 Explanatory Memorandum
7. Chief Minister – Immigration (Amendment No.2) Bill 2012 Explanatory Memorandum
8. Chief Minister – Interpretation (Amendment) Bill 2012 Explanatory Memorandum
9. Minister for Tourism, Industry & Development – Tourist Accommodation (Amendment No.2) Bill 2012 Explanatory Memorandum
10. Mrs Ward – Petition to ascertain the opinion of electors by order of the House

The following statement was made:

1)            Speaker provided a report on –

a)      The visit to Norfolk Island 13 to 18 November 2012 of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Secretary-General Dr. William Shija and his Executive Assistant Mrs Lusean Chesham;

b)      Attendance (fully funded by CPA Headquarters) of Ms Chelsea Evans at the 5^th Commonwealth Youth Parliament in London in December; and

c)      The visit of the Hon Clare Christian MLA, President of Tynwald, Isle of Man, on Norfolk’s National Day (Anniversary Day) on 8 June 2013.

Outcomes from matters on the programme were as follows:

1)            A determination was made by the House in relation to the proposed amendment to Schedule 2 of the Norfolk Island Plan (as amended) in relation to the use and development of Portions 54c5, 54c6, 54c& and 54c8 Middlegate Road as a cultural centre.

2)            The following Bills were presented; each being adjourned on the question – That the Bill be agreed to in principle –

                               i.      Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2012

                             ii.      Immigration (Amendment No. 2) Bill 2012

                           iii.      Interpretation (Amendment) Bill 2012

                            iv.      Tourist Accommodation (Amendment No. 2) Bill 2012.

3)            The answer provided to question on notice 449 at the October sitting in relation to the Supply Contract for Fuel, having been noted and adjourned was debated and noting of the paper agreed

4)            The Annual Report of the Legal Aid Advisory Committee was debated on the question – That the paper be noted; that motion to note the paper was agreed

5)            The Annual Report of the Norfolk Island Public Service Board was debated on the question – That the paper be noted; the motion to note the paper was agreed

6)            The Goods and Services (Amendment No. 2) Bill 2012 was agreed to

7)            The Status of Children Bill 2012 was agreed to with amendments

The Legislative Assembly will sit again on 12 December 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 23 November 2012 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com.

From the Office of the Speaker 16 November 2012

 

“Your Parliament – Your Voice”

From the Office of the Speaker

Visit to Norfolk Island by the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)

Photo taken at the Current and Former Members Lunch at La Perouse Restaurant 15 November 2012

On Tuesday of this week we were honoured to welcome to Norfolk Island Secretary-General of the CPA, Dr William J. Shija, who has travelled here with his Executive Assistant Mrs Luseane Chesham.  Whilst on island, the Secretary-General has had the opportunity to speak at a School Assembly; meet with our Youth Assembly in the Legislative Assembly Chamber; he has been a guest at a Government House reception held in his honour; addressed the Norfolk Language Conference with a moving speech on “Connecting Cultures” (“Connecting Cultures” is also the theme that was set for the CPA for 2012 by Her Majesty the Queen); he has met with current and former Members of the Legislative Assembly; had a working meeting with the Norfolk Island Branch of the CPA; met with Minister Nobbs and Mr Chris Magri; enjoyed an Island Fish Fry and watched our Baunti Beauties perform in preparation for their participation soon in the Australian Schools Spectacular; had a tour of the Kingston & Arthurs Vale Historic Area with former KAVHA Manager Mr Puss Anderson; met with the Museum Director Lisa Richards; met with members of the Pitcairn Descendants Society; toured our island and viewed the Cyclorama. 

It has been an honour for Norfolk Island to have the Secretary-General’s visit.  The CPA is Norfolk Island’s “window to the world”, and to be able to exchange such broad range of views with Secretary-General can only be beneficial to us, as well as showing him first hand not only our passion for our culture but also our passion for knowledge to continuously improve our legislature and show our enthusiasm to be involved with the CPA.

The friendships fostered through the CPA over the past 25 years have certainly helped us develop from a “cocooned island state” into a community with a broad cosmopolitan outlook and attitude of the world. CPA is a body where Norfolk Island participates in its own right and whilst the Norfolk Island branch is proud to be part of the Australian Region, we also cherish the ability to exercise our autonomy in voting on issues at CPA Conferences and Seminars.

The Secretary-General has made numerous comments throughout his time here on Norfolk exclaiming how beautiful the island is and how he is going to be telling people back in London and also his homeland Tanzania about our beautiful Island in the Pacific!

We thank the Secretary-General for taking the time to visit our island and Branch of the CPA and wish him and Mrs Chesham a safe journey to the CPA conference in Rarotonga and a pleasant journey back to London.

Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Jubilee Time Capsule!

 

We have received wonderful news!  After 18 months, the Royal Commonwealth Society’s digital time capsule that was created to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is complete.  The 80,000 entries were judged by a distinguished panel including The Honourable Lady Jane Roberts LVO, award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Deputy Editor of The Telegraph Benedict Brogran and the top 60 entries were presented to Her Majesty this week.  We are very excited to report that the Norfolk Island entry posted for 11 February 1974 and named “A lovely day – The Queen visits Norfolk Island” was included in the top 60 entries, called the “Diamond (re)Collection”.  The article was written by the Norfolk Island Museum Director Lisa Richards and can be viewed at www.jubileetimecapsule.org along with the other 80,000 entries from 37,165 people from 66 countries around the world!  The “Diamond (re)Collection” will be uploaded onto a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and will move to the Royal Collection, Windsor, where it will be the first artefact on a tablet computer in the Collection.

November sitting of the Legislative Assembly

The next scheduled sitting of the Legislative Assembly is Wednesday 21 November 2012 at 10 am.  You will find a copy of matters to be dealt with at the sitting elsewhere in this publication.

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 16 November 2012 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com 

Visit of Dr. William Shija, Secretary-General of the CPA

“Your Parliament – Your Voice”

From the Office of the Speaker

VISIT OF DR. WILLIAM SHIJA, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION (THE CPA)

I am delighted to be able to advise that Dr. William Shija, Secretary-General of the CPA, will be visiting Norfolk Island from 13 to 18 November 2012.  Dr. Shija, who is accompanied by his Executive Assistant Ms Luseane Chesham is en route to the Cook Islands for the Australia and Pacific Regional Conference being hosted in Rarotonga.

The Secretary-General is the chief executive officer of the Association and is primarily responsible for representing the Association and promoting its aims and objectives.

The Secretary-General maintains close links with CPA Branches in the Commonwealth and provides advice and guidance on their activities and management. Dr Shija, a former Minister and Member of Parliament in Tanzania, assumed the office of CPA Secretary-General on 1 January, 2007.  He has had a long association with the CPA in his capacity as an MP and as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Parliament of Tanzania.

Prior to taking up the post of Secretary General Dr Shija was a Member of the National Assembly of Tanzania from 1990-2005; and held the following posts - Minister: of Industry & Trade, 1997 -1998; of Energy & Minerals, 1994-1995; of Information & Broadcasting, 1992-1994; of Science, Technology & Higher Education, 1990 -1992

As CPA President of the Norfolk Island Branch the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association I very much look forward to welcoming Dr Shija to our shores and to afford current and former members of the CPA the opportunity to meet Dr Shija.  A full programme of activities is being arranged for his visit.

VISIT BY MRS CLARE CHRISTIAN MLC, PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE ISLE OF MAN - TYNWALD

I am also very pleased to be able to advise that plans are in place for the President of Tynwald, Mrs Clare Christian MLC to visit Norfolk Island on Anniversary/Bounty Day in 2013. Mrs Christian will be on our side of the world in June 2013 in perfect timing for her to be on Island on our National Day which due to the 8^th of June falling on a Saturday in 2013 will be celebrated on Monday 10 June. As readers are aware Norfolk Island and the Isle of Man entered into a Cultural Agreement last year and under that agreement each of our parliaments have undertaken to acknowledge our respective national days as they occur. President Christian’s being on Island to celebrate our National Day with us will be an added bonus for 2013.

The Legislative Assembly will sit again on 21 November 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 2 November 2012 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com.