7 Members, but Provides for Clause 10(3) Allows the Commission to Hold a at Best a Part-Time Chairman
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VICfORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIFfY-SECOND PARLIAMENT AUTUMN SESSION 1993 Legislative Assembly VOL. 412 [From 6 May 1993 to 20 May 1993J MElBOURNE: 1.. v. NOR11l, GOVERNMENT PRINTER The Govemor His Excellency the Honourable RICHARD E. McGARVIE The Lieutenant-Govemor His Excellency the Honourable SIR JOHN McINTOSH YOUNG, AC, KCMG The Ministry [AS FROM 9 NOVEMBER 1992] Premier, and Minister for Ethnic Affairs.... The Hon. J. G. Kennett, MP Deputy Premier, Minister for Police and ... The Hon. P. J. McNamara, MP Emergency Services, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Tourism Minister for Industry and Employment . The Hon. P. A. Gude, MP Minister for Roads and Ports . The Hon. W. R. Baxter, MLC Minister for Conservation and Environment, The Hon. M. A. Birrell, MLC and Minister for Major Projects Minister for Public Transport. The Hon. A. J. Brown, MP Minister for Natural Resources. The Hon. C. G. Coleman, MP Minister for Regional Development, . The Hon. R. M. Hallam, MLC Minister for Local Government Minister for Education................... The Hon. D. K. Hayward, MP Minister for Small Business, and Minister . The Hon. V. P. Heffernan, OAM, MP responsible for Youth Affairs Minister for Community Services, and. The Hon. Michael John, MP Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Housing, and Minister for. The Hon. R. I. Knowles, MLC Aged Care Minister for Agriculture.................. The Hon. W. D. McGrath, MP Minister for Planning. The Hon. R. R. C. Madellan, MP Minister for Industry Services.......... ... The Hon. Roger Pescott, MP Minister for Energy and Minerals, and. The Hon. S. J. Plowman, MP Minister Assisting the Treasurer on State Owned Enterprises Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing. The Hon. T. C. Reynolds, MP Minister for Finance. ....... ........ .. The Hon.!. W. Smith, MP Treasurer . The Hon. A. R. Stockdale, MP Minister for Tertiary Education and .... The Hon. Haddon Storey, QC, MLC Training, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Gaming Minister for Health. The Hon. M. T. Tehan, MP Attorney-General, Minister for Fair.. .... .. The Hon. J. L. M. Wade, MP Trading, and Minister responsible for Women's Affairs Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet..... The Hon. Rosemary Varty, MLC FIFTY-SECOND PARLIAMENT-FIRST SESSION Members of the Legislative Assembly Member District Party Member District Party Andrianopoulos, Alex Mill Park ALP McLenan, Frederick Peter Frankston East LP Ashley, Gordon Wetzel Bayswater LP Mac1ellan, Robert Roy Pakenham LP Baker, Ian Malcolm John Sunshine ALP Cameron Batchelor, Peter Thomastown ALP MeNamara, Patrick John Benana NP Bildstien, Craig Step hen Mildura LP Marple, Ms Carole Frances Altona ALP Brown, Alan John Gippsland West LP Maughan, Noel John Rodney NP Clark. Robert William Box Hill LP Micanef, Edward Joseph Springvale ALP Coghill, Dr Kenneth Alastair Werribee ALP Mildenhall, Bruce Allan Footscray ALP Cole, Neil Donald Melbourne ALP Napthine, Dr Denis Vincent Portland LP Coleman, Geoffrey Charles Bennettswood LP Pandazopoulos, John Dandenong ALP Cooper, Robert Fitzgerald Mornington LP Paterson, Alister Irvine South Barwon LP Cunningham, David John Melton ALP Perrin, David John Bulleen LP Davis, George Ian Essendon LP Perton, Victor John Doncaster LP Dean, Robert Logan Berwick LP Pescott, Roger Mitcham LP Delzoppo. John Edward Narracan LP Peulick. Mrs Inga Bentleigh LP Dolls, Demetri Richmond ALP Phillips, Wayne Eltham LP Doyle, Robert Keith Bennett Malvern LP Plowman, Anthony Fulton Benambra LP Elder, Step hen Noel Ripon LP Plowman, Sidney James Evelyn LP Elliot, Mrs Lorraine Clare Mooroolbark LP Reynolds, Thomas Carter Gisborne LP Finn, Bernard Thomas Tullamarine LP Richardson, John Ingles Forest Hill LP Christopher Roper, Thomas William Coburg ALP Garbutt, Mrs Sherryl Maree Bundoora ALP Rowe, Gary James Cranbourne LP Gude, Phillip Archibald Hawthorn LP Ryan, Peter Julian Gippsland South NP Haerrneyer, Andre Van Yean ALP Sandon, Malcolm John Carrum ALP Hamilton, Keith Graeme Morwell ALP Seitz, George Keilor ALP Hayward, Donald Keith Prahran LP Sercombe, Robert Charles Niddrie ALP Heffeman, Vincent Patrick. Ivanhoe LP Grant OAM Sheehan, Anthony John Northcote ALP Henderson, Mrs Ann Mary Geelong LP Smith, Ernest Ross Glen Waverly LP Honeywood, Phillip Neville Warrandyte LP Smith, Ian Winton Polwarth LP Hyams, Anthony Jonathan Dromana LP Spry, Garry Howard Bellarine LP Jasper, Kenneth Step hen Murray Valley NP Steggall, Barry Edward Swan Hill NP Jenkins, Geoffrey Paul Ballarat West LP Hector John, Michael Bendigo East LP Stockdale, Alan Robert Brighton LP Kennan, James Harley, QC Broadmeadows ALP Tanner, Edgar Miles Caulfield LP Kennett, Jeffrey Gibb Burwood LP Ponsonby Kilgour, Donald Shepparton NP Tehan, Mrs Marie Therese Seymour LP Kirner, Ms Joan Elizabeth, Wtlliamstown ALP Thompson, Murray Hamilton Sandringham LP AM Thomson, Kelvin John Pascoe Vale ALP Leigh, Geoffrey Graeme Mordialloc LP Thwaites, Johnstone William Albert Park ALP Leighton, Michael Andrew Preston ALP Traynor, Barry Edward Ballarat East LP Loney, Peter James Geelong North ALP Treasure, David Lewis Gippsland East NP Lupton, Hurtle Reginald, Knox LP Turner, Maxwell John Bendigo West LP OAM,JP Vaughan, Dr Gerard Marshall Clayton ALP McArthur, Step hen James Monbulk LP Wade, Mrs Jan Louise Murray Kew LP McGill, Mrs Denise Oakleigh LP Weideman, George, Graeme Frankston LP McGrath, John Francis Warrnambool NP wens, Kimberley Arthur Wantirna LP McGrath, William Desmond Wimmera NP Wllson, Mrs Janet TIndale Dandenong North ALP Calder FIFTY-SECOND PARLIAMENT-FIRST SESSION Speaker: The Hon. J. E. OELZOPPO Chairman of Committees: Mr J. F. McGRAlH Temporuy Chairmen of Committees: Or Coghill. Mr Coopet; Mr Cunningham. Mr Jasper, Mr Maughan. Mr Perrin, Mr Richard50n, Mr E. R. Smith. Or Vaughan. and Mr Weideman Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party and Premier: The Hon. J. G. KENNETT Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party: The Hon. P. A. GUDE Leader of the Parliamentary National Party and Deputy Premier: The Hon. P. J. McNAMARA Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary National Party: The Hon. W. O. McGRA lH Leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party and Leader of the Oppwition: The Hon. J. E. K1RNER. AM [Until 30 March 1993) The Hon. J. M. KENNAN, QC (From 30 March 1993) Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party and Deputy Leader of the Opposition: The Hon. J. M. KENNAN, QC [Until 30 March 1993) Mr R. C. G. SERCOMBE [From 30 March 1993) Heads of Parliamentary Departments Council-Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Council: Mr A. V. Bray Assembly-Clerk of the Legislative Assembly: Mr J. G. Little, JP Hansard-Chief Reporter: Mr Eric Woodward Library-Librarian: Mr B. J. Davidson House-Secretary: Mr W. F. McKelvie ETHNIC AFFAIRS COMMISSION BILL Thursday, 6 May 1993 ASSEMBLY 1649 many honourable members know, between 1982 and commission to have a goal other than the issuing of 1988, before his election Parliament, the honourable press releases from time to time. member worked in the office of the Minister for Ethnic Affairs and, although he has been subjected I turn to clause 5 headed ''Functions of the to vicious attacks from time to time in this Commission". The clause would have been drafted place-- by bureaucrats, much to the chagrin of the Parliamentary secretary. The functions of the Mr Hamilton - All undeserved. commission have been made so general that it is not accountable for anything. As a bare minimum, Mr ANDRIANOPOULOS - He has been specific requirements should be placed on the attacked particularly by people like the honourable commission to achieve its objectives. If the objectives member for Forest Hill. He was the dynamo in the are watered down there is no need to have a Minister's office that drove ethnic affairs and the requirement on the commission to achieve its commission throughout that decade. objectives. Basically the Bill jeopardises all the achievements of Clause 6 makes it abundantly clear that: the Ethnic Affairs Commission during the past 10 years. It attempts to modify the commission in The Commission must comply with any directions such a way that it renders it useless. It strips it of its given to it in writing by the Minister. independence and of its resources, and in the future it will achieve virtually nothing. Under the principal Act the commission had some autonomy to initiate matters and report to the The Bill removes any provision of resources for the Minister. That function has been omitted from the commission. The commission may not have Bill. If the government had not guillotined the resources to pay for someone to take minutes of debate I would have proposed an amendment that meetings. I see the Parliamentary secretary smiling; I would have introduced a clause to give the know when he makes his contribution to the debate commission some autonomy to initiate matters itself. he will tell the House about the ethnic affairs unit in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. The Under clause 10 the commission cannot hold a commission will be under the control and direction meeting without the approval of the Minister. That of the Minister. Until 1 October last year the is extraordinary! The clause allows for six meetings a commission had the resources for a full-time year. Clause 10(2) allows the commission to hold chairman, a deputy chairman and a secretary. The meetings only upon the authority of the Minister. Bill not only reduces the membership of the The Parliamentary secretary may argue that commission from 13 to 7 members, but provides for clause 10(3) allows the commission to hold a at best a part-time chairman. meeting within 3 days if more than half the members request a meeting. What commission Mr Honeywood interjected. would go against the wishes of its Minister or would have the gall to conduct such meetings if it were Mr ANDRIANOPOULOS - I have read the Bill. aware that the Minister did not want it to hold The Parliamentary secretary should understand meetings? Clause 10 more than any other clause what is contained in it.