Cross Border Commissioner

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (15:03): Supplementary: given the minister's answer before her rant, does the minister concede she is in contempt of her own act?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:03): I think if the Leader of the Opposition were to do things that might be constructive for her: the first would be to read the act, which says the Cross Border Commissioner should reside in a cross-border community. The second would be to look at the debate in parliament when the act was passed and this very issue was raised. It was raised whether it should say 'must live' in a cross-border community or 'should live' in a cross-border community.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The very examples that were raised included, for example, when a commissioner needed to be away from their normal place of residence in the cross-border community for some reason.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: For example, it could be through illness or something like that, or, alternatively, that a temporary appointment may need to be made. I certainly recall those discussions; I invite the opposition to go back and check the Hansard.