Petitions, Papers, Select Committee Reports, and Introduction of Bills — Ombudsman (Removal of Age Discrimination) Amendment Bill

Point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek leave to introduce the Ombudsman (Removal of Age Discrimination) Amendment Bill, for the bill to be set down for first reading as members’ order of the day No. 1 today, for the bill to proceed through its remaining stages immediately following the first reading, for there to be no select committee or committee of the whole House, and for there to be no debate on the second or third readings.

I wrote to all parties in Parliament on Monday advising them that I intended to take this course of action. The bill is very simple—it does two things: it removes the age discrimination; and allows the incumbent, who all parties in Parliament seem to indicate has done an excellent job as the Ombudsman, to remain in office for the remainder of his term rather than vacate the office based on unjustified age discrimination.

Leave is sought. Is there any objection? There is objection.