Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move amendments (1) to (18) together:

(8)    Schedule 1, item 155, page 55 (line 4) to item 156, page 55 (line 9), omit the items.

(9)    Schedule 1, item 158, page 55 (line 14) to item 190, page 62 (line 9), omit the items.

(10)  Schedule 1, item 191, page 62 (line 15), omit the note.

(11)  Schedule 1, item 192, page 62 (line 16) to item 198, page 65 (line 26), omit the items.

(12)  Schedule 1, item 199, page 65 (line 27) to page 66 (line 15), omit the item, substitute:

199 Section 47B

Before “A document is”, insert “(1)”.

199A At the end of section 47B (before the note)

Add

        (2)    In this section:

State includes Norfolk Island.

(13)  Schedule 1, item 200, page 66 (line 16) to item 203, page 66 (line 29), omit the items.

(14)  Schedule 1, item 209, page 67 (line 10) to item 211, page 67 (line 15), omit the items.

(15)  Schedule 1, item 214, page 68 (lines 2 to 3), omit the item.

(16)  Schedule 1, item 216, page 68 (line 8) to item 236, page 70 (line 21), omit the items.

(17)  Schedule 1, item 238, page 70 (line 26) to page 71 (line 2), omit the item.

(18)  Schedule 1, before item 243, page 73 (lines 2 to 3), omit the heading (Act name)

(19)  Schedule 1, item 243, page 73 (lines 4 to 9), omit the item.

(20)  Schedule 1, item 244, page 73 (lines 11 to 14), omit the item.

(21)  Schedule 1, item 246, page 73 (line 20) to item 273, page 77 (line 25), omit the items.

(22)  Schedule 1, item 275, page 78 (line 4) to item 290, page 80 (line 21), omit the items.

(23)  Schedule 1, item 292, page 80 (line 29) to page 81 (line 2), omit the item.

(24)  Schedule 1, item 293, page 81 (lines 3 to 32), omit the item, substitute:

293 At the end of section 70

Add:

        (4)    In this section:

State includes Norfolk Island.

(25)  Schedule 1, item 294, page 81 (line 33) to item 297, page 82 (line 16), omit the items.

I want to address some of the things the minister said in his contribution. A lot of what he said we do not disagree with. In fact, what he was saying were statements of the obvious. We all understand that there is a need for law reform on Norfolk Island, as the Norfolk Island government reiterated in their dealings with the government and the opposition. It is untrue to say that this bill does not reduce their independence because clearly it does and clearly that is what the government has believed in the past when they have made submissions to the Commonwealth and to the opposition about these matters.

What has changed is that the government of Norfolk Island have found themselves in difficult financial territory. They have therefore come to the Commonwealth and asked for assistance. The Commonwealth have said to them, ‘Sure we’re happy to assist but only on the condition that you endorse wholesale this particular bill.’ Clearly, Norfolk Island is in an extraordinarily difficult situation. As I said in the debate yesterday, they are well and truly over a barrel and the Labor government have taken full advantage of that and insisted that they endorse this bill wholesale.

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