Debates and Questions - Day 1 - 24 April 2020
Parliamentary Record 27
Debates and Questions for 13th Assembly 2019 - 2020; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 13th Assembly 2016 - 2020
2020-04-24
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Debates and Questions
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
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https://hdl.handle.net/10070/787608
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DEBATES AND QUESTIONS Friday 24 April 2020 8311 Two new offences have been included in this bill regarding the misrepresentation and unauthorised disclosure of information. The penalty for misrepresenting information is 200 penalty units or two years imprisonment. For unauthorised disclosure, the penalty is 500 penalty units or five years imprisonment. This sends a strong message that negotiations need to occur in good faith and there are mechanisms to ensure that. It is intended that the notices will deal with a range of miscellaneous measures concerning tenancies, including adjusting the usual processes to facilitate physical distancing and health and safety considerations and determining what is appropriate to list on a tenancy database. Examples of this include ingoing and outgoing inspections of premises and preparation of condition reports. We all have to adapt to the new normal. We do not like it; we want our old normal back. We want to minimise the impact of Coronavirus on our community but we are seeing a significant impact. This bill helps facilitate the changes to our new normal. We hope for it is only a short period, but we do not know the time frame. I am pleased to commend the bill to honourable members. Motion agreed to; bill read a first time. Ms FYLES: (Attorney-General and Justice): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be declared urgent. I clearly outlined in my speech the need for this. The urgency of the Coronavirus situation is very clear to the Territory community so I will not waste parliamentary time reiterating that. It is very clear to everyone in the Territory that the Coronavirus emergency health crisis has caused an economic crisis and, as clearly outlined, this bill is for the COVID time frame, which is why it is urgent. Mrs FINOCCHIARO (Opposition Leader): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, in speaking to the urgency motionwe have no issue with this legislation being brought on urgency. Madam ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: I will now confirm how members attending the meeting by teleconference want to vote on this question. The Member for Nhulunbuy has indicated that he is voting aye on this one. I will now confirm whether the members attending the meeting by teleconference want to make a contribution to the debate. Member for Arnhem, do you want to contribute? Ms UIBO: No thank you, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker. Madam ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, do you want to contribute? Mr McCARTHY: Negative, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker. Madam ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, do you want to contribute? Ms WAKEFIELD: No thank you, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker. Madam ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Karama, do you want to contribute? Ms AH KIT: No, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker. Madam ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Namatjira, do you want to contribute? Mr PAECH: No thank you, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker. Motion agreed to. Ms FYLES (Leader of Government Business): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.