Cross Border Commissioner Bill

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 31 May 2022.)

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (11:24): I note that we have had further amendments filed today, and I appreciate that we will go through those in the committee stage, but this followed amendments that were lodged on Tuesday, if I recall correctly, or it might have been late Monday night, so I would just like to place on the record that that makes it very difficult, particularly for the crossbench, for appropriate consideration of those amendments. There seem to have been a lot of, I am sure, unintended consequences that come from that, and I think that is something that we will certainly explore more as we go into the committee stage.

However, in general I would just like to point out that the purpose of this role that we are proposing to introduce is to assist with collaboration, consultation and liaison with other jurisdictions where there are particular issues that affect cross-border communities in particular. I will have more to say about that when we go into the committee stage in relation to some of the amendments that have been proposed, but I do hope that there will not be any deliberate attempts to slow down either the legislation or the work of the commissioner, because those of us who live in cross-border communities are very well aware that these are issues that we are dealing with every day.

People as individuals, families, small businesses, industry, all have these issues that they have been dealing with, often for a very long time. They need to be able to come to the commissioner, who we want to get in place as soon as possible, to ensure that those issues can be dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible. I do hope that there will be widespread support for the bill overall, and I hope that those amendments that are proposed, that by accident or design appear to frustrate the work of the commissioner, will not be supported.

Bill read a second time.

Committee Stage

In committee.

Clause 1.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: I move:

That progress be reported.

There are so many amendments that have been put forward over the last couple of days—

The CHAIR: The Hon. Mr Pangallo, you have moved that progress be reported. There is to be no debate.

Ayes 9

Noes 7

Majority 2