Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the government, I am very pleased to thank all of the senators who have made a contribution. I particularly want to acknowledge the other senator for Norfolk Island, my ACT Senate counterpart, Senator Gary Humphries. Both of us have our role representing the Australian citizens of Norfolk Island, and Senator Humphries, I know, has a deep and abiding interest in their welfare, as do my colleagues in the House. Gai Brodtmann MP is the House of Representatives member for Canberra.

In closing the debate on the Territories Law Reform Bill 2010 I would also like to acknowledge the work of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories and Senator Ferguson, who has also been a longstanding member. The members of that committee have worked very hard with the people of Norfolk Island to come up with the right model of reform to allow Norfolk Island to progress its accountability, transparency and governance reforms. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge ministers, including those of the previous governments—Minister Debus, Minister O’Connor and now Minister Crean are our respective Labor government territories ministers—for their diligent work in progressing these reforms. I do that, very conscious of time.

I will post some additional remarks on my website that will reflect, I think, the broader sentiment and the detail of the reforms that we are proposing in this legislation. I would certainly like to say that it is my great pleasure to commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.