Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to take this opportunity today to make some comments on the Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2010. As has been so well put by the two previous speakers this morning, there are a range of things that need to be fixed up across a great many pieces of legislation. I am sure that that will be the case in the future as well as we either adjust our language or adjust our view of the realities of the current moment. What so many think is the gospel truth now may be seen in a brighter light in the future. I was reminded recently by the member for Tangney, and I support him on this, that these days it seems that when you talk about CO2, you must have as an addition to that the word ‘pollution’. In the future, we might well see changes in law which reflect on the commentary of the current age.

I would like to cover some points with regard to item 6 in schedule 2 of the bill. When you reflect on what this Statute Law Revision Bill will be doing to fix up minor errors in legislation, you will find that it will make a lot of laws easier to understand. Within the context of the item in the schedule, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about some things that happened in the Cowan electorate in the lead-up to the federal election last year. There is a specific address that is very relevant in this matter—64 Wanneroo Road, Marangaroo. About a year and a half ago, the house at this address was reported to me as being derelict. It had squatters living in it. There had been a lot of damage done to it. It was uninhabitable by those who had been there and seen it. So it came to me as a bit of a surprise that this house was taken up by my principal opponent in the last election as an electorate office. Of course, this is completely contrary to by-laws, but the City of Wanneroo did not have any great problem with that. So when we talk about electoral laws a few interesting things can be done. Shortly after that house was taken up as a campaign office, I noticed in this derelict house that is not—

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