TENTH ASSEMBLY 30 MARCH 2021 www.hansard.act.gov.au Tuesday, 30 March 2021 Resignation of member (Statement by Speaker) ....................................................... 547 Announcement of member to fill casual vacancy ...................................................... 547 Oath or affirmation of allegiance (Oath by member) ................................................ 548 Petitions: Schools—language curriculum—petition 2-21 ................................................ 548 Planning—Kippax group centre—petition 8-21 .............................................. 549 Sport—Thoroughbred Park funding—petition 24-20 (Ministerial response) .. 549 Waste—proposed Fyshwick facility—petition 13-20 (Ministerial response) .. 551 Motion to take note of petitions ................................................................................. 551 Planning—Kippax group centre—petition 8-21 ........................................................ 552 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse— progress report on implementation of recommendations (Ministerial statement) 554 Status of women and girls in the ACT (Ministerial statement) ................................. 556 Visitors ....................................................................................................................... 561 Status of women and girls in the ACT (Ministerial statement) ................................. 561 COVID-19 pandemic response—update (Ministerial statement) .............................. 567 Rotary Club—100th anniversary (Ministerial statement) .......................................... 575 Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee .............................................. 580 Administration and Procedure—Standing Committee .............................................. 580 Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee .............................................. 583 Education and Community Inclusion—Standing Committee .................................... 584 Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity—Standing Committee .................. 584 Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee .............................................. 585 Planning, Transport and City Services—Standing Committee .................................. 585 Health and Community Wellbeing—Standing Committee ....................................... 585 Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Bill—Select Committee ............ 587 Committees—Standing (Membership) ...................................................................... 588 Committees—Standing (Amendment to resolution) ................................................. 588 Legislative Assembly—members’ code of conduct .................................................. 588 Ministerial arrangements ........................................................................................... 589 Questions without notice: Budget—capital works ..................................................................................... 589 Molonglo Valley—infrastructure ..................................................................... 590 Molonglo Valley—community facilities .......................................................... 591 Trees—urban canopy ........................................................................................ 591 Women—International Women’s Day ............................................................. 593 Municipal services—community facilities ....................................................... 594 Naas Valley—bridge ........................................................................................ 596 Environment—urban vegetation ...................................................................... 597 Environment—water quality ............................................................................ 598 Environment—urban vegetation ...................................................................... 600 Health—COVID-19 vaccination rollout .......................................................... 601 Environment—emissions reduction targets ...................................................... 603 Environment—Big Canberra Battery site ........................................................ 604 Energy—solar ................................................................................................... 605 Light rail—progress update .............................................................................. 606 Papers ......................................................................................................................... 607 Family and domestic violence—legislative reforms .................................................. 612 Work health and safety—psychosocial hazards ........................................................ 622 Plastic Reduction Bill 2020 ....................................................................................... 639 Adjournment: Schools—language curriculum ........................................................................ 652 Ms Jude Byrne—tribute ................................................................................... 653 Canberra Liberals—policies ............................................................................. 654 Multicultural affairs—Bangladesh Day of Independence ................................ 655 Business—Chisholm Family Tavern ................................................................ 656 Yerrabi electorate—community events ............................................................ 657 Legislative Assembly for the ACT Tuesday, 30 March 2021 MADAM SPEAKER (Ms Burch) (10.00): Members: Dhawura nguna, dhawura Ngunnawal. Yanggu ngalawiri, dhunimanyin Ngunnawalwari dhawurawari. Nginggada Dindi dhawura Ngunnaawalbun yindjumaralidjinyin. The words I have just spoken are in the language of the traditional custodians and translate to: This is Ngunnawal country. Today we are gathering on Ngunnawal country. We always pay respect to Elders, female and male, and Ngunnawal country. Members, I ask you to stand in silence and pray or reflect on our responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory. Resignation of member Statement by Speaker MADAM SPEAKER: Pursuant to the resolution of the Assembly of 27 March 1992, as amended on 6 March 2008, which authorises me to receive written notice of resignation of a member, I wish to inform the Assembly that the Speaker received a written notice from Mr Coe, dated 12 March 2021. Pursuant to subsection 13(3) of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988, I present the following papers: Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cwlth), pursuant to subsection 13(3)—Resignation of office as Member—Mr Coe—Letter of resignation, dated 12 March 2021. Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory—Casual Vacancy— Copy of letter to the Electoral Commissioner, ACT Electoral Commission, from the Speaker, dated 12 March 2021. Announcement of member to fill casual vacancy MADAM SPEAKER: The Clerk has been notified by the Electoral Commissioner that, pursuant to sections 189 and 194 of the Electoral Act 1992, Mr James Milligan has been declared elected to the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr Coe. I present the following paper: Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory—Casual Vacancy— Declaration of the poll—Letter from the Electoral Commissioner, ACT Electoral Commission, to the Clerk, ACT Legislative Assembly, dated 26 March 2021. 547 30 March 2021 Legislative Assembly for the ACT Oath or affirmation of allegiance MADAM SPEAKER: The provisions of the Oaths and Affirmations Act 1984 require the oath or affirmation of a new member to be made before the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory or a judge of that court authorised by the Chief Justice. I present the following paper: Oaths and Affirmations Act 1984, pursuant to s 10A—Acting Chief Justice Burns—Letter to the Attorney-General from the Chief Justice, dated 16 March 2021. Acting Chief Justice Burns attended accordingly— Oath by member Mr Milligan was introduced and made and subscribed the oath required by law. The Acting Chief Justice having retired— MADAM SPEAKER: On behalf of all members, I bid Mr Milligan a warm welcome to the Assembly. Petitions The following petitions were lodged for presentation: Schools—language curriculum—petition 2-21 By Mrs Kikkert, from 61 residents: To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory that: − ACT Government policy requires that students in years 7 and·8 receive at least 150 minutes per week of instruction in one of eight priority languages; − Hawker Primary School provides specialist instruction in French to students from kindergarten to year 6; − French was taught to students in years 7 and 8 at Belconnen High School until a 2017 decision to discontinue it; and − Belconnen High School students in years 7 and 8 now have no access to instruction in any priority language despite government policy. Your petitioners, therefore, request the Assembly to call upon the ACT Government to: − take all steps necessary to resume the teaching of French for students in years 7 and 8 at Belconnen High School; and − if required, offer incentives and provide sufficient supports to attract and/or train a specialist teacher. 548 Legislative Assembly for the ACT 30 March 2021 Planning—Kippax