Bills

Statutes Amendment (Superannuation) Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading (resumed on motion).

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (16:13): I would like to thank all honourable members who have spoken thus far into the debate. I am also particularly grateful for Ms Tammy Franks' determination to allow us to proceed with this bill at this point in time, and I look forward to a speedy passage through the committee stage.

Bill read a second time.

Committee Stage

In committee.

Clause 1.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Things have obviously moved on since this bill was adjourned by the minister to the next day of sitting, and I understand the minister has now brought it back on. As I indicated in my second reading speech, I was happy to speak and indicate the Liberal Party's support for the bill, but the position that we put to the government was that the government needed to have the agreement of the minor parties and Independents in the Legislative Council for the passage.

With the greatest respect to the minister, there are three or four groups represented by the minor parties and Independents and I would, I guess, seek the assurance from the minister that he and the government have spoken with each of the Independents and minor parties to get their agreement to push the bill through, because the government's Notice Paper does have the superannuation bill being adjourned.

I was asked by the Leader of the Government, minister Gago, whether I was prepared to speak at the second reading. I certainly did speak at the second reading and indicated the Liberal Party's support for the bill, but my position has been that, if the government wanted to expedite the passage, as I outlined in the second reading, this bill was introduced into the parliament on 3 June and it has been entirely the province of the government that it has been delayed for two months in the House of Assembly. It was only debated, as I understand it, and passed yesterday and we received it yesterday into the Legislative Council. My question to the minister is: can he assure the committee—not him personally, because he may well have only just inherited control of the bill—but has the government had assurances from each of the Independents and minor parties that they are happy to proceed with processing the bill today?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Mr Chair, I cannot give that assurance. My understanding from my briefing, however, was that the only impediment to its passage (and I could be completely wrong in this) was that the Greens were saying to us that they wanted more time to consider it. However, since the adjournment motion was carried, in subsequent discussions with the Hon. Tammy Franks, who was in the chamber, she indicated that she was prepared to have this bill moved through the remaining stages, which is why we brought it on. I am unaware, and I stand to be corrected, whether there is any opposition from any other crossbenchers, but I do not have that information.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Just for the record, Family First have not been approached as to whether or not we are happy for the bill to proceed. That being the case, this is a bill we have paid attention to as it has slowly progressed through the House of Assembly and, during that time, we were able to acquaint ourselves with the bill. We were able to have a discussion with the Police Association about it last week. There is really no reason, from our perspective, why the bill cannot proceed today, other than that we were not specifically consulted.

Nonetheless, I did intend to speak to this bill after the winter break in some detail in support of it. I am happy to forgo that opportunity if it enables the bill to be expiated today. (There is a bit of a play on words, there.) I certainly would not want to delay the police from their superannuation changes. Just for the record, Family First does support the bill. Our police are very hardworking individuals. They place themselves at risk in a way that almost no other state-based job does, perhaps with the exception of the defence forces, and they deserve everything they get as far as we are concerned.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: I have not been approached, but it is a fairly straightforward bill. We will be supporting it. I have no objection to its proceeding.

Clause passed.

Remaining clauses (2 to 9) and title passed.

Bill reported without amendment.

Third Reading

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (16:19): I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Bill read a third time and passed.