Charter of Rights Bill will not be debated

The Charter of Rights Bill will not be debated this legislative year as was previously announced.



Attorney General and Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne told the senate this morning that the landmark legislation was ready for debate but would have to be taken in the 2009/2010 legislative year.



Senator Lightbourne said a decision was made not to begin debate on the Bill, as deliberations would not be completed before parliament prorogues in March.



This means that the bill will fall off the order paper and will have to be retabled in the new legislative year.



The Charter of Rights Bill seeks to entrench in the constitution, the states guarantee of the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of every citizen.



In the State of the Nation Debate in Gordon House, the Attorney General reported that the parliamentary committee set up to deliberate on a Bill design to amendment the defamation law would meet before the end of the current parliamentary year.



Senator Lightbourne told her colleagues that the proposed defamation law would facilitate the exposure of corruption officials who could no longer use the law as a shield.