Second Reading Speeches Delivered to the National Parliament by Hon. Peter O’Neill CMG MP,

The Prime Minister, Hon Peter O’Neill CMG MP, delivered the following speeches in Parliament on 26 November 2014 covering:
·      Local Level Government (Administration) Bill 2014
·      Police (Amendment) Act 2014
·      Teaching Services (Amendment) Act 2014
·      Public Services (Management) (Amendment) Act 2014
·      Electoral Development Authority (Repeal) Act 2014
·      Second Reading Speech for District Authority (Repeal) Act 2014

Second Reading Speeches were also delivered to the Parliament by the Prime Minister on 26 November 2014 and distributed in earlier e-mails on the following matters:

·      Second Reading of the Mining (Ok Tedi Eleventh Supplementary Agreement) Bill 2014
·      Second Reading of the APEC Papua New Guinea 2018 Co-ordination Authority Bill 2014

Second Reading – Local Level Government (Administration) Bill 2014
Mr Speaker, this is a very simple amendment Bill. The Joint District Planning and Budget Priorities Committees is defined in section 2(1) of the Local level Government Administration Act. Since the Organic Law on Provincial Government and Local level Government has been amended to repeal the   Joint District Planning and Budget Priorities Committee this definition is no longer relevant. This amendment Bill will repeal the definition of the Joint District Planning and Budget Priority Committee.
Mr Speaker, I commend this Bill to the House.

Second reading – Police (Amendment) Act 2014 
Mr Speaker, this amendment Bill will insert a new section 2 and subsection so that the chief executive officer of a district development authority is deemed to be a disciplinary officer in relation to minor offences. This means that the chief executive officer of a district development authority can commence disciplinary action against a police officer in the district for minor disciplinary offences.
Mr Speaker, the chief executive officer will be able to lay the charge and then refer the matter to the Provincial Police Commander in accordance with the Police Act. The Provincial Police Commander would then deal with the matter in the usual manner.
Mr Speaker, giving the chief executive officer of the district development authority these powers forms a key part of the district development authority initiative. Finally the district administrator will be in charge of all public servants in the district. They are on the ground and know what is going on – we cannot wait for someone in Waigani to start disciplinary action. District administrators will be able to deal with performance problems immediately.
Mr Speaker, I commend this Bill to the House.

Second Reading – Teaching Services (Amendment) Act 2014
Mr Speaker, the Teaching Services Act is amended so that the CEO of the district development authority is specifically authorised to charge a teacher with a disciplinary offence.

Mr Speaker, the CEO will also be able to provisionally suspend the teacher when a charge is laid if it is a serious disciplinary offence. The suspension remains in effect for 14 days, after which time it must be affirmed by the Provincial Education Board. If it has not been affirmed by the Provincial Education Board the teacher resumes duties and the disciplinary charge is dropped.

Mr Speaker, similarly to the powers over police, the district administrator will be in charge of all public servants in the district. They are on the ground and know what is going on – we cannot wait for someone in Waigani to start disciplinary action. District administrators will be able to deal with performance problems immediately.

Mr Speaker I commend this Bill to the House.

Second Reading – Public Services (Management) (Amendment) Act 2014
Mr Speaker, this amendment Bill will repeal paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) of section 66 of the Public Services (Management) Act 2014 and replace them with a new paragraph that outlines the additional functions of the district administrator.

Mr Speaker, the district administrator now has a new function, the district administrator will also be the chief executive officer of the district development authority in his or her district.

Mr Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to make it clear that the chief executive officer is an ex officio role. This means that if a chief executive officer is to be removed then he or she must be removed as district administrator. The appointment and removal procedure is that must be used is the procedure used to appoint him or her as district administrator.

Mr Speaker, I commend this Bill to the House.

Second Reading – Electoral Development Authority (Repeal) Act 2014
Mr Speaker, the Electoral Development Authority Act 1992 was passed in 1992 but has not commenced. The Act would have established a statutory authority in each district similarly to a district development authority.

In order to avoid any possible confusion or uncertainty this amendment Bill will repeal the Electoral Development Authority Act 1992.
Mr Speaker, I commend this Bill to the House.

Second Reading – District Authority (Repeal) Act 2014
Mr Speaker, the District Authority Act 2006 was passed in 2006 but has not commenced. The Act would have established a statutory authority in each district similarly to a district development authority.

Mr Speaker, since this time I have done a great deal more consultation and made a number of changes to the way the district authorities would operate.

Mr Speaker, the new district development authorities are far superior and will bring major reform. This amendment Bill will repeal the District Authority Act 2006, this will prevent any possible confusion or uncertainty.

Mr Speaker, I commend the Bill to the House.

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