A Senate bill to force the ACT Legislative Assembly to conduct an inquiry into the takeover of the former Calvary Public Hospital Bruce should not pass, a committee has concluded. Source: Canberra Times.
The Labor-led legal and constitutional affairs legislation committee has said the bill “would undermine the independence” of the territory’s legislature.
But opposition members have dissented from the committee’s recommendations and have recommended the bill should pass.
The bill was put forward by Queensland Liberal National Senator Matt Canavan.
The report, which was handed down on Wednesday, said scrutiny of the bill was conducted within the Legislative Assembly’s own legislative procedures and oversight mechanisms.
“Whether those procedures and mechanisms are adequate is ultimately a matter for the electors of the ACT to judge,” the report said.
“To conduct an inquiry would undermine the independence of that legislature.”
The opposition members of the committee, including Senator Canavan who was a participating member, wrote a dissenting report and “strongly recommended” the bill be passed.
The opposition members said the bill “has unfolded in deeply concerning circumstances”.
“It has been marked by an unfortunate absence of consultation, a contrived sense of urgency, a blatant dismissal of significant health system risks, and a concerning indifference to employee rights,” they said.
The opposition members accused the committee of not adequately engaging with concerns raised in 65 submissions and 7000 letters received by the committee in regard to the bill.
Senator Canavan had previously pushed for a federal inquiry into the takeover but this was defeated.
FULL STORY
Matt Canavan’s bill to force inquiry into Calvary takeover should not pass, a committee has said (By Lucy Bladen, Canberra Times)
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