AUSTRALIA
the Norfolk Island People to an Act of Self Determination; a right first afforded to all of the people of the world living in non self-governing territories by the United Nations in 1960, and a right which the Australian Government has systematically and continually refused to extend to the Norfolk Island People.”
On 27 May 2015, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Bronwyn Bishop MP advised the House that she had received a remonstrance passed by the Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island requesting that the Parliament “affirm the rights of the people of Norfolk Island to self- government.” Copies of the remonstrance were placed on the table and the full terms were recorded in the Votes and Proceedings and Hansard.
Similarly, on 15 June, the Acting Deputy
President, Senator Dean Smith tabled the remonstrance in the Senate. The Senate Procedural Information Bulletin noted that “remonstrances, or expressions of significant grievances, have a noble parliamentary history, including the Grand Remonstrance of 1642 which detailed numerous grievances against Charles I and proposed remedies. Remonstrances have been presented to the Senate on two previous occasions by the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.”
Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements Inspector-General ADF) Act 2015 The legislation strengthens and clarifies the independence, powers and privileges of the Inspector-General Australian Defence Force (ADF) and provides a statutory basis to support regulatory change including the re-allocation of responsibility for investigation of service-related deaths.
The Manager of Government Business in the Senate, Senator Hon. Mitch Fifield stated that the legislation provides “transparency, predictability and accountability in decision making affecting Australian Defence Force members. It will do this by enhancing the independence of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force and enabling regulatory reform of the Australian Defence Force’s redress of grievance, investigation and inquiry practices.”
Senator Fifield advised that “following detailed review of Defence’s system of inquiry, investigation, review and audit, the Australian Defence Force concluded its current arrangements for these processes are unnecessarily complex, inefficient and legalistic. I am conscious of the need to support commanders to make good decisions, not to impede or discourage them from doing
so. The complexity and inflexibility of current arrangements do not provide that support. I am also conscious of the need for robust, professional, credible and independent oversight of the military justice system.”
Senator Fifield commented that it was essential that complex and sensitive matters concerning the Defence Force such as the death of ADF members be subject to efficient and specialised internal inquiry and review. The Shadow Minister for Defence, Senator Hon. Stephen Conroy noted Labor’s support commenting that the legislation “continues the bipartisan approach to reforming the military justice system that has been pursued by successive governments. It entrenches the independence of the Inspector-General by separating it from the military chain of command. It also enables the Inspector-General to be used to investigate a broad range of matters as requested by the minister.” Senator Conroy noted that “by separating the Inspector-General from the military chain of command, the Bill ensures that the Inspector- General cannot be forced or ordered down an avenue that he or she considers inappropriate. This greater independence provides our Defence Force the ability to investigate failures or flaws in the military justice system and administrative processes.”
The Parliamentarian | 2015: Issue Three | 225
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104