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ABOUT THE BILL

On 29 November 2011 the Legislative Assembly, on the motion of Hon Rachel Nolan MP, Minister for Finance, Natural Resources and the Arts, resolved:

That the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Holding Bill 2011 be referred to the Community Affairs Committee.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Holding Bill 2011 and Explanatory Notes to the Bill are available from the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website.

The Minister for Finance, Natural Resources and the Arts, Hon Rachel Nolan MP, introduced the Bill on 29 November 2011. Her explanatory speech can be downloaded from the Parliament’s website.

The Committee is to report back to Parliament by 19 March 2012, as advised by the Committee of the Legislative Assembly on 30 November 2011.

Submissions

The committee advertised the inquiry in the Koori Mail on Wednesday 14 December 2011 and in The Courier-Mail and Cairns Post on Saturday, 17 December 2011 and invited submissions from any interested persons and organisations.

By asking for submissions from the public, the committee provided an opportunity for interested groups and individuals to contribute to an important review and evaluation process. Submissions can add greatly to the committee’s knowledge and understanding of the issues before it. Often the public is aware of specific issues and impacts of which the committee is unaware. Public participation is an important and necessary ingredient in the committee's investigations and is an opportunity for the public to see, and take part in, the operation of Parliament. 

The closing date for written submissions was: Tuesday, 31 January 2012.