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Canberra Today 26°/29° | Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Another step towards a larger Assembly

AN Amendment to the Self Government Act was introduced to Federal Parliament today, which could give the ACT Legislative Assembly the power to change how many members it has.

Chief Minister Katy Gallagher welcomed the tabling of the amendment, which follows last year’s amendment to take the power of veto over ACT laws away from federal ministers.

Chief Minister Katy Gallagher. Photo by Silas Brown
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher. Photo by Silas Brown
“That important change now means that laws made by the ACT Legislative Assembly can only be overridden by passage of legislation in the Commonwealth Parliament rather than at the discretion of a single minister,” Ms Gallagher said.

“At the time, I asked the Prime Minister to make a second change – that relating to the size of the Assembly and I am very pleased that the Commonwealth has responded to my request and today tabled the amendments to the Self Government Act which are necessary to allow the ACT Government to set its own size.”

An increase to the size of the Assembly would require a 2/3 majority, an approach Ms Gallagher said the ACT Government would prefer to stick with.

“I hope that the Federal Parliament is now able to see the amendments passed prior to the Federal Election in September,” she added.

The Chief Minister has also commissioned an independent panel to review the size of the Assembly, chaired by ACT Electoral Commissioner Phil Green, which is due to report its findings at the end of March.

Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said her party also supported the change.

“I am pleased that we have secured the right of ACT residents to decide their own future, putting the needs of the ACT firmly on the Government’s agenda.” Ms Milne said. “The Greens will continue to stand up for the people of the ACT and support their request to have the Legislative Assembly that is best able to meet the demands of the Territory.”

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