Senate debates

Wednesday, 15 August 2007

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007; Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007; Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Northern Territory National Emergency Response and Other Measures) Bill 2007; Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008; Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008

In Committee

6:32 pm

Photo of Nigel ScullionNigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

My reading of this is very clear. On the same page 4 that you are referring to, under the heading ‘Definitions’, part (d) says:

(d) any other person or entity:

…            …            …

       (ii)   that is specified by the Minister (whether by reference to a class of person or entity or otherwise), by legislative instrument, for the purposes of this paragraph.

This clearly indicates that the model that you have described may come under that purview. But, again, if I could just stress my previous contribution: it is the intent that some negotiation would happen prior to that and certainly before these reserve powers would apply. It is very clear in the definition that the minister could do that by reference to a class of person or entity. So the scenario that you paint is in fact correct.

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