Thank you, Madam Chair. The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act lays out the indemnities and allowances available to Members of the Legislative Assembly. Schedule C of the act sets out the actually monetary value of these indemnities and allowances.
During the 18th Legislative Assembly, the Independent Commission to Review Members' Compensation and Benefits and the Special Committee to Increase Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly put forward recommendations. As a result of these recommendations, amendments to the act and the regulations are required through Bill 1.
These include the following:
1. Prorate certain allowances for Members of an outgoing Legislative Assembly to the day before polling day, as opposed to the day the Legislative Assembly is dissolved;
2. Allow for Members to receive the same level of benefits;
3. Eliminate the requirement for Members of the Executive Council to swear or affirm an oath of allegiance a second time;
4. Include a new section to allow for the reimbursement of childcare expenses and authorize the making of regulations that deal with the reimbursement of these expenses;
5. The chairpersons of all standing committees of the Legislative Assembly receive the same remuneration, with the exception of the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight; and
6. Reference to the new UNW Collective Agreement and add language to eliminate the need for constantly updating the language every time a new agreement is reached.
Thank you, Madam Chair. That concludes my remarks. Individual Members may have additional comments or questions as we proceed with the consideration of this bill.