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On 25 November 2009, the Legislative Assembly passed the
Integrity Bill 2009. The Bill received Assent on 3 December 2009 and
by proclamation dated 9 December 2009 the Act commenced on 1 January
2010.
The Act, amongst other things, changed the name of the Members’
Ethics and Parliamentary Privileges Committee to the
Integrity, Ethics and Parliamentary Privileges Committee.
This committee has the following areas of responsibility:
- The ethical conduct of Members of the Legislative Assembly including:
- examining the arrangements for the keeping of a register of interests of Members and a register of interests of persons related to a Member, and considering complaints referred to the committee about the failure to register particular interests. Interests that Members are required to detail include property and financial interests as well as memberships of parties, bodies and associations and other interests which could foreseeably raise a conflict between a Member's private interests and their duty as a Member.
- publishing and reviewing a code of conduct for Members. The committee has responsibility for considering complaints of breaches of the code and making recommendations to the Legislative Assembly about action by the Assembly. The committee's responsibilities also include the reform of legislation and Standing Rules and Orders about the ethical conduct of Members.
- Parliamentary powers, rights and immunities.
- Parliamentary privilege, including considering allegations of contempt.
- Advising the Legislative Assembly about individual requests from
non-members for a right of reply.
- Monitoring, reviewing and reporting on the performance of
the Integrity Commissioner's functions.
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