❓ Donaldson asks about amending the Local Government Act to remove references to the Queen in oaths, and include other changes suggested by local governments. Stephens expresses support but cites legislative delays and broader modernization efforts as potential obstacles to a quick resolution.
AnsweredQoN 1226Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS FOR ELECTED MEMBERS 1226. Hon BRUCE DONALDSON to the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development: (1) Is the minister intending to amend the Local Government Act 1995 to include an alternative option for elected members’ oaths or affirmations that does not refer to the Queen? (2) Will the amendment Bill be introduced into the Parliament by the end of 2002? (3) Will the amendment Bill include all the changes identified by local government during the review of the Act that the former Department of Local Government undertook a couple of years ago? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS FOR ELECTED MEMBERS
(1) Is the minister intending to amend the Local Government Act 1995 to include an alternative option for elected members’ oaths or affirmations that does not refer to the Queen? (2) Will the amendment Bill be introduced into the Parliament by the end of 2002? (3) Will the amendment Bill include all the changes identified by local government during the review of the Act that the former Department of Local Government undertook a couple of years ago? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
(2) Will the amendment Bill be introduced into the Parliament by the end of 2002? (3) Will the amendment Bill include all the changes identified by local government during the review of the Act that the former Department of Local Government undertook a couple of years ago? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
(3) Will the amendment Bill include all the changes identified by local government during the review of the Act that the former Department of Local Government undertook a couple of years ago? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
(1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS FOR ELECTED MEMBERS
(1) Is the minister intending to amend the Local Government Act 1995 to include an alternative option for elected members’ oaths or affirmations that does not refer to the Queen? (2) Will the amendment Bill be introduced into the Parliament by the end of 2002? (3) Will the amendment Bill include all the changes identified by local government during the review of the Act that the former Department of Local Government undertook a couple of years ago? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
(2) Will the amendment Bill be introduced into the Parliament by the end of 2002? (3) Will the amendment Bill include all the changes identified by local government during the review of the Act that the former Department of Local Government undertook a couple of years ago? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
(3) Will the amendment Bill include all the changes identified by local government during the review of the Act that the former Department of Local Government undertook a couple of years ago? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
(1)-(3) I would be keen to see this issue advanced. We are under pressure from local government to advance a change along the lines that have been articulated in the question. It is important to do as much of that in step with the opportunities for modernising the language of law on the statute books of Western Australia. Whether it is confined simply to the Local Government Act or expanded more widely at this point is an open question. I want to advance that issue in conjunction with the Attorney General to modernise the language of statute books in Western Australia to keep the options open more widely. The issue is regularly pushed with me by local government. I see it as nothing more than modernising the statute books. No offence is meant by advancing it. I am genuinely concerned about introducing legislation into this Chamber with the current rate of handling Bills in this place. The Chamber must lift its game to ensure that we can introduce legislation and have the chance to see legislative change along the lines sought by the community. I want to include in the amendments to the Local Government Act many of the recommendations that have been worked on over a number of years since the Act was put in place. Councils are suggesting amendments they want to have included. It is important that I now draw the curtain on all those suggestions, which today I have pretty well announced. At the end of receiving suggestions, it will be time to complete the work and get drafting instructions into effect to amend the Local Government Act.
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