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| Madam Speaker, I move that the bill now be read a second time. The purpose of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation Amendment Bill is to amend the Darwin Waterfront Corporation Act. The amendments, which are minor in nature, clarify that: · the maintenance of water quality within certain areas of the Darwin Waterfront Precinct is a municipal function of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation; · The corporation has the ability to enter into arrangements with the Darwin City Council or other bodies under which the Council or other bodies can perform functions of the corporation; and · lessees of land owned by the corporation a liable to pay rates to the corporation. It was always envisaged that the corporation would be responsible for the maintenance of water quality in enclosed bodies of water within the precinct as part of its municipal function. The bill clarifies that this function is a specific municipal function rather than a broader function of the corporation. To ensure consistency between the operations of the precinct and the Darwin CBD, it has always been intended that the corporation outsource a number of its municipal functions to the Darwin City Council or other bodies where appropriate. As the Waterfront Project has developed it has become apparent that the act needs to be very clear about the corporation’s ability to enter into arrangements to outsource its functions. The bill ensures that the corporation can enter into arrangements with the Darwin City Council or other bodies under which the Darwin City Council or other body can perform municipal and other functions of the corporation. The amendment also makes it clear where such an arrangement is entered into the arrangement may provide for the council or other body to exercise powers of the corporation for the purposes of the arrangement. The act provides for the precinct to be excised from the municipality of Darwin and for owners of land within the precinct to pay rates to the corporation. The bill clarifies that lessees of land owned by the corporation are also liable to pay rates to the corporation. As can be seen, the amendments are minor in nature and simply serve to clarify certain elements of the act. I commend the bill to honourable members. Debate adjourned. |