Yohannes Parliamentary Debates — Reichstag Election 2018

[Yohannes]

---

Provisional Weekly

Note: this is a provisional Weekly, awaiting the addition of all text and final accumulative page numbers.


Monday, 24 September 2018

(for addition in Volume 952)

The Electoral Hansard and Debates — traditionally shortened Hansard, after Matthäus Fehr Von und Zu Hansard — is the publication of the Electoral College and Parliament which record nation state legislative activities. Administered by Archive Yohannes, it gives the excerpts of select speeches and debates in the legislature.

Contents


• Monday, 4 September 2017: Agreement for Equal Trade and the Connecting of the Nineteen Countries Economy with the Economy of Arthropol [ hansard post ]
  
• Tuesday, 5 September 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 6 September 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Minister of Education [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 7 September 2017: Business Statement — Subject to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 7 September 2017: Select Committee Business — Subject to the Committee on Foreign Trade [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 7 September 2017: Visitors Present — Free Kingdom of Allanea [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 7 September 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Seventeenth Yohannesian Emperor [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 7 September 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 7 September 2017: Weekly Adjournment — Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 8 September 2017: Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill: Second and Final Reading [ hansard post ]
  
  
• Monday, 11 September 2017: Business Statement — Weekly Formation; Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Continental Security [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 11 September 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 11 September 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Minister of Employment and Labour Reserves [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 11 September 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Social Democratic Party [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 11 September 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Inter-Party Budget Reform 2017 [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 11 September 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Time Expiration: Subject to the Speaker of Parliament [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 12 September 2017: International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017: First Reading [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 12 September 2017: International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017: Inter-Party Discussion [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 13 September 2017: State of the Empire Address 2017 — Subject to the Chief Justice of the Peace: Appropriation Update [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 14 September 2017: Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill 2017: First Reading [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 15 September 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 15 September 2017: Committee on Judicature Modernisation — Subject to the Chair Appointee: The Honourable Claudia Gwyneth Wintergreen, Emperor’s Counsel [ hansard post ]
  
  
• Monday, 18 September 2017: Business Statement — Weekly Formation; Visitors Present — Teutonic Reich of the German Nation [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 18 September 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 19 September 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 19 September 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Social Democratic Party [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 19 September 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Inter-Party Discussion [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 20 September 2017: Living Organ Donation Monetary Support Amendment Bill 2017: First Reading [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 21 September 2017: Courts of Unity Law Amendment Bill 2017: First Reading [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 22 September 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Energy and Science; Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund; and Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 22 September 2017: Weekly Adjournment — Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
  
  
• Monday, 2 October 2017: Parliamentary Motions — Foreign Nation State Issues: Subject to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 2 October 2017: Letters of Emperor and Chancellor: Subject to the DPRPC Minister of Foreign Affairs [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 2 October 2017: Passive Component Corporation Amendment Bill 2017: First Reading [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 2 October 2017: Passive Component Corporation Amendment Bill 2017: Inter-Party Discussion [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 3 October 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Transport and Logistics; Minister of Health and Human Services; and the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 4 October 2017: Select Committee Business — Subject to the Committee on Engineering and Science [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 4 October 2017: Select Committee Business — Subject to the Committee on Engineering and Science [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 5 October 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Seventeenth Yohannesian Emperor; Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries; and the Minister of Education [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 6 October 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Geoscience and Natural Resources [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 6 October 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Imperial Head of Opposition [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 6 October 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Inter-Party Discussion [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 6 October 2017: Weekly Adjournment — Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
  
  
• Monday, 16 October 2017: Business Statement — Weekly Formation; Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 16 October 2017: Monthly Report to Parliament — Economic Summary: Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 16 October 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Transport and Logistics and the Seventeenth Yohannesian Emperor [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 17 October 2017: Annual Report to Parliament — Judicature Modernisation Summary: Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 17 October 2017: Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill 2017: Second Reading [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 18 October 2017: Annual Report to Parliament — Monetary Target Consensus: Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 18 October 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade; Minister of Transport and Logistics; and the Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 19 October 2017: Broadband Universal Service Bill 2017: First Reading [ hansard post ]
• Thursday, 19 October 2017: Broadband Universal Service Bill 2017: Inter-Party Discussion [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 20 October 2017: Five Issues of Nation State — A Brief Overview: Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 20 October 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Chairman of the Exiting International Incidents and Nation State Neutrality Select Committee [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 20 October 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Seventeenth Yohannesian Emperor and the Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 20 October 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Inter-Party Discussion [ hansard post ]
• Friday, 20 October 2017: Weekly Adjournment — Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
  
  
• Monday, 30 October 2017: Business Statement — Weekly Formation; Higher Education Amendment Bill 2017: First Reading [ hansard post ]
• Monday, 30 October 2017: Higher Education Amendment Bill 2017: Inter-Party Discussion [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 31 October 2017: Chambers of Industry and Commerce Yohannes Incorporated — Report to Parliament: Agreement for Equal Trade and the Connecting of the Nineteen Countries Economy with the Economy of Greater Nifon Bill 2017 [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 31 October 2017: Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of High Technology and Industrial Security and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Embassy and Consulate Programme [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 1 November 2017: Monthly Report to Parliament — Economic Summary: Subject to the Members of Assembly [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 1 November 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Constitutional Law and Judicature Modernisation and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Green Policy and Climate Change [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 1 November 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Social Democratic Party [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 1 November 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Yohannes First Party [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 1 November 2017: Tabled Information — Das Reich: Woman Spat at after abuse by migrants — the Sharia Law spreading across the nation [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 1 November 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Minister of Energy and Science and Chairperson of the Ethnic Diversity Committee [ hansard post ]
• Wednesday, 1 November 2017: Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Inter-Party Discussion [ hansard post ]
• Tuesday, 11 September 2018: Parliamentary Conclusion — Last Day Customary Address: Subject to the Members of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Parliament [ hansard post ]
  
  
  
• Election Yohannes 2018: Special Coverage; Archive I — The Formidable Old Guard who turned against her old team: flashback to happier times — 2008-2015 [ hansard post ]
• Election Yohannes 2018: Special Coverage; Archive II — The Hon Abdullahi Lindström MEP IOC versus The Rt Hon Dr Marion Maréchal-Le Men MEP — Friday, 19 January 2018 [ hansard post ]
• Election Yohannes 2018: Special Coverage; Archive II — The Hon Abdullahi Lindström MEP IOC versus The Rt Hon Dr Marion Maréchal-Le Men MEP — Saturday, 20 January 2018 [ hansard post ]
• Election Yohannes 2018: The Next President of the Electoral College of the Nineteen Countries [ hansard post ]
• Election Yohannes 2018: Concession Speech — The Hon Abdullahi Lindström MEP IOC [ hansard post ]
• Election Yohannes 2018: Acceptance Speech — The Rt Hon Dr Marion Maréchal-Le Men MEP [ hansard post ]
• Election Yohannes 2018: Analysis and Coverage of the Celebration [ hansard post ]
• Election Yohannes 2018: Archive III — Message from the Confederation — Administration and Worldbuilding 2018 [ hansard post ]
  
  
  
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Christian Democratic Party — Democratic Faction [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Social Democratic Party [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Green Party [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Yohannes First Party [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Christian Party [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: The Independents [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Free Cannabis Party [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Alliance for Yohannes [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Consumers and Taxpayers Union [ hansard post ]
• Parliamentary Hansard: Yohannes Decides; Archive IV — Vote2018: Family Values Party [ hansard post ]
  
  
• Vote2018 Issue #1: Economic Palace monetary policy is flirting with fire [ hansard post ]
• Vote2018 Issue #2: Quadrennial report on nation state reinvention [ hansard post ]
• Vote2018 Issue #3: The empire of the rising sun [ hansard post ]
• Vote2018 Issue #4: Equality Commission quadrennial report [ hansard post ]
• Vote2018 Issue #5: Environmental Commission Quadrennial Report [ hansard post ]
  
  
• Vote2018: First Leaders’ Debate — Green Party and Yohannes First Party [ hansard post ]
• Vote2018: Concerned residents rally in bid to get Christian Democratic Union across the finish line [ hansard post ]

Halsten, the Regency of Lindblum, The Yohannesian Realm
Published under the authority of the Electoral College and Parliament — 2017

---

[Yohannes]

---

Collegian Electors of the Nation State

[to be updated pending December 2018 Parliamentary results]

President of the Electoral College


• Her Majesty Garnet til Alexandros, Queen of the Kingdom of Alexandria, of the Christian Democratic Party - Christian Faction [Rose Pink], seated at the head, front centre of the assembly.
  
• Is not an Elected Collegian [Since March 2016].
President pro tempore of the Electoral College


• His Royal Highness Akarana the Ninth, Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Donata, of Independent [Earth Brown], or no party, background, seated at the other end of the assembly, facing the President, seated far to her or his front.
• Elected Collegian for the Grand Duchy of Donata, District One [Since January 1991].
Majority Vice President


• The Excellency Mr Erik Afzelius Holmström, President of the Merchant Republic of Landburg, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the other end of the assembly, on the left hand side of the President pro tempore.
• Elected Collegian for the Merchant Republic of Landburg [Since January 2007].
Minority Vice President


• The Excellency Ms Britt-Louise Sandström Forsberg, President of the Merchant Republic of Alseca-Lorin, of the Green Party [Green], seated at the other end of the assembly, on the right hand side of the President pro tempore.
• Elected Collegian for the Merchant Republic of Alseca-Lorin [Since January 2015].
Field Marshal of Imperial Subpoena


• Her Royal Highness Sansa Anneliese Lovebright, Lord Paramount of the Heartland and Heir Apparent to the Kingdom of Burmecia
• Is not an Elected Collegian [Since April 2016].

The Kingdom of Alexandria

National population: 79.59 million
Electoral College: 15 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Aliena of Shiring, the Nineteenth Earl of Stenmark^{[Note 1]}, of the Christian Democratic Party - Christian Faction [Rose Pink], seated at the front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Adelbert Steiner, the Twenty-First Earl of Pluto, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Beatrix of the Hundred Knights, the Ninth Earl of Astrid, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Fourth Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Otto Stern, the Fourteenth Viscount of Nottebohm, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Fifth Alexandrian District:
  The Honourable Mr Dominic Meissner, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Sixth Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Ester of Wechsler, the Sixteenth Earl of Schaffsiedeln, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Seventh Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Övid of Naslund, the Thirteenth Earl of Laisä, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Eight Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Daniel of Söderlund, the Ninth Viscount of Völkhofen, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Ninth Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Dominik Oehlenschläger, the Eleventh Viscount of Gulleråsen, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1991].
• Elected Collegian for the Tenth Alexandrian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Kristian Steinhäusser, the Third Viscount of Ulskov, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
The Regency of Lindblum

National population: 81.30 million
Electoral College: 16 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Kuja of Terra, the Fifteenth Earl of Rehn, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Zezima of Falador, the Thirteenth Viscount of Drakenberg, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Cornelia Lötvall, the Thirteenth Earl of Holmgren, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Fourth Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Danielle of Clare, the Thirteenth Earl of Ennewig, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Fifth Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Daniel Kracht, the Fifth Earl of Arkmel, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Sixth Lindblum District:
  The Honourable Mr Theodor Eichhorn, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Seventh Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Filip Borg, the Fifteenth Viscount of Nesjahströnd, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Eight Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Viola of Lagerkvist, the Seventh Earl of Mõisalamäe, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Ninth Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Carsten Poland, the Thirteenth Viscount of Sortgrunn, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Tenth Lindblum District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Phillipp Habermann, the Fourth Viscount of Pfullendorf, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
The Kingdom of Burmecia

National population: 66.51 million
Electoral College: 14 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Mr Loseton Petres, of the Yohannes First Party [Purple], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1991].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Burmecian District:
  The Honourable Mr Thomas Aruhipa Baker, of the Yohannes First Party [Purple], seated at front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Gregory Russel Hamleigh, the Fourteenth Viscount of Dunedin, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1991].
• Elected Collegian for the Fourth Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Matthias Lowe, the Twenty-First Earl of Kearley, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Fifth Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Clement of Dawn, the Seventeenth Earl of Weston, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Sixth Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Caris of Follett, the Thirteenth Earl of Clindover, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Seventh Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Terrance Boone, the Fifth Viscount of Kensingmark, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Eight Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Hollie Rosales, the Eighteenth Earl of Presfort, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Ninth Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Finlay Howard, the Twelfth Viscount of Dalholm, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Tenth Burmecian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Javon Fitzpatrick, the Sixth Viscount of Oreo, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
The Grand Duchy of Dali

National population: 13.07 million
Electoral College: 5 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Dalian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Christian Jonsson, the Twenty-Eight Earl of Gloria, of the Yohannes First Party [Purple], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Dalian District:
  The Most Reverend Lord Johan Lundmark, the Twenty-First Archbishop of Dali, of the Yohannes First Party [Purple], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Dalian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Lennart Tigerheart, the Seventeenth Viscount of Sundgau, of the Yohannes First Party [Purple], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
The Grand Duchy of Donata

National population: 11.59 million
Electoral College: 5 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Donatello District:
  His Royal Highness Akarana the Ninth, Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Donata, of Independent [Earth Brown], or no party, background, seated at the other end of the assembly, facing the President, seated far to her or his front [Since January 1991].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Donatello District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Wilhelmina Malmberg, the Fifteenth Earl of Torva, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Donatello District:
  The Honourable Ms Greta Matilda Lindbergh, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
The Noble Republic of Treno

National population: 10.80 million
Electoral College: 5 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Treno District:
  The Honourable Doctor Tot Tutor, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Treno District:
  His Illustrious Highness Johannes Alqvist, Crown Noble of Treno, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
The Grand Duchy of Kradenmark

National population: 9.31 million
Electoral College: 4 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Kradenmark District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Melina Sandberg, the Seventeenth Viscount of Lindenburg, of the Green Party [Green], seated at front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Kradenmark District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Elina Linderoth, the Twenty-Third Earl of Marlström, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1991].
The Duchy of Blomgren

National population: 8.95 million
Electoral College: 3 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Blomgreni District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Lina Källström, the Twelfth Viscount of Malin, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Blomgreni District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Gertorn Norström, the Sixteenth Earl of Matteo, of the Christian Democratic Party - Christian Faction [Rose Pink], seated at the front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
The Merchant Republic of Alseca-Lorin

National population: 7.40 million
Electoral College: 3 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Alseca-Lorinian District:
  The Excellency Ms Britt-Louise Sandström Forsberg, President of the Merchant Republic of Alseca-Lorin, of the Green Party [Green], seated at the other end of the assembly, on the right hand side of the President pro tempore. [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Alseca-Lorinian District:
  The Honourable Mr Alexander Benjamin Schauman, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
The Merchant Republic of Landburg

National population: 7.33 million
Electoral College: 3 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Landburger District:
  The Excellency Mr Erik Afzelius Holmström, President of the Merchant Republic of Landburg, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the other end of the assembly, on the left hand side of the President pro tempore [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Landburger District:
  The Honourable Mr Arvid Gregory Kroon, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
The Principality of Ahlgren

National population: 7.19 million
Electoral College: 3 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Ahlgrenian District:
  His Serene Highness Ståle the Third, Prince of the Principality of Ahlgren, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1991].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Ahlgrenian District:
  His Serene Highness Ståle-Kristoffer, Princely Heir of the Principality of Ahlgren, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Ahlgrenian District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Ruuben Järveläinen, the Fifteenth Viscount of Einlingen, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
The Unitary Republic of Molander

National population: 27.31 million
Electoral College: 8 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Molanderian District:
  The Right Honourable Mr Pieter-Jan Vandekerckhove, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Molanderian District:
  The Honourable Mr Jules Yanille Vandenberghe, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Molanderian District:
  The Honourable Mr Jeremy Ilias Verdoodt, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2015].
• Elected Collegian for the Fourth Molanderian District:
  The Honourable Mr Cedric De Doncker, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
The Democratic Republic of Cederström

National population: 25.09 million
Electoral College: 6 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Cederi District:
  The Honourable Mr Steven Van Moorlehem, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Cederi District:
  The Right Honourable Mr Alexander Julian De Roock, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1991].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Cederi District:
  The Honourable Mr Ewoud Ian Verhasselt, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the front, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Fourth Cederi District:
  The Right Honourable Mr Merthin Heymans Carpenter, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
The Royal Realm of Cleyra

National population: 8.91 million
Electoral College: 3 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Cleyran District:
  The Right Honourable Lady Tilda Kivelä, the Twelfth Viscount of Rekola, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Cleyran District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Valdemar Simonen, the Ninth Earl of Tamminen, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Third Cleyran District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Osmo Nykänen, the Eleventh Viscount of Reykjarholl, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1991].
The Duchy of Gizamaluke-Grotto

National population: 5.70 million
Electoral College: 2 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Gizamaluke District:
  His Royal Highness Trystan the Fourth, Duke of the Duchy of Gizamaluke-Grotto, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Gizamaluke District:
  The Right Honourable Lord Mercher Bennion, the Fourteenth Earl of Firth, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the second row, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].
The Duchy of Ice Cavern

National population: 4.71 million
Electoral College: 2 Electors
• Elected Collegian for the First Ice Cavern District:
  His Royal Highness Myrddin the Third, Duke of the Duchy of Ice Cavern, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1991].
• Elected Collegian for the Second Ice Cavern District:
  The Honourable Mr Kynwyl Roderick, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].
The Principality of Mandragora

National population: 1.93 million
Electoral College: 1 Elector
• Elected Collegian for the Mandragoran District:
  His Serene Highness Adelbert the Seventh, Prince of the Principality of Mandragora, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at front, left hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].

The City State of Crescent

National population: 1.18 million
Electoral College: 1 Elector
• Elected Collegian for the Crescent District:
  The Honourable Mr Jonas Ole Schneiderman, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 2007].

The City State of Coral

National population: 1.02 million
Electoral College: 1 Elector
• Elected Collegian for the Coralian District:
  The Honourable Ms Jaqueline Luzia Feuchtwanger, of the Green Party [Green], seated at the second row, right hand side of the assembly [Since January 1999].

Note 1: In the nineteen countries, just like the word Emperor is interchangeably used for male or female incumbent, the word 'Earl', and most other titles do not discriminate between the gender male or female (with the exception of 'Lord', accompanied as it is with the word 'Lady' for its female counterpart).

---

[Yohannes]

---

Members of Imperial Parliament

[to be updated pending December 2018 Parliamentary results]

Speaker of the Imperial Parliament

The Right Honourable Saul Ryan, Member of Imperial Parliament for the Weirconsin Electorate, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the head, front centre of the assembly [Since January 2015].

Majority Leader pro tempore

The Honourable Claudia Wintergreen, Emperor’s Counsel, Member of Imperial Parliament for the Halsten Electorate, of the Christian Democratic Party - Democratic Faction [Soft Blue], seated at the head, on the left hand side of the Speaker [Since March 2014].

Minority Leader

The Right Honourable Jeremy Robyn, Member of Imperial Parliament for the Clearingtonne Electorate, of the Social Democratic Party [Orange], seated at the head, on the right hand side of the Speaker [Since March 1999].

Judicature Overseer

The Right Honourable Olivia Christensen, the Imperial Chief Justice of the Peace, seated at the head, on the right hand side of the Speaker [Since November 2016].

The Kingdom of Alexandria

National population: 79.59 million
Parliamentarian: 91 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 2
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 12
• Green: 3
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 9
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Berg, Milan [SD][Höjdstigen] - Björk, Deniz [YF][Syrengården] - Björk, Tora [CD-C][Kvillevägen], Bode, Bernhard [G][Nederbro] - Glehn, Cäcilia [SD][Salakums] - Grünberg, Tim [SD][Suurme] - Heinig, Jörn [CD-D][Varmahrás] - Kaulbach, Angela [CD-D][Kalde] - Mauss, Heiner [CD-D][Hässlefors] - Meyer, Felix [SD][Arendsee] - Liebermann, Georg [SD][Immenschau] - Lindström, Abdullahi [CD-D][Gulleråsen] - Lundberg, Roger [SD][Sörbylund] - Lundqvist, Juni [G][Östanlid] - Scheidemann, Matthias [CD-D][Byggðakjarhverfi] - Segert, Felicia [CD-D][Simmune] - Spitzer, Paulus [CD-D][Altenmarkt] - Steinbacher, Margareta [SD][Laisä] - Steuermann, Fabian [CD-D][Porrenstein] - Strecker, Marianne [CD-D][Wittenbach] - Svensson, Xander [SD][Violvägen], Thalmann, Ruprecht [G][Ulskov] - Van Houten, Nadine [CD-C][Völkhofen] - Weller, Eric [CD-D][Heihamina] - Wernicke, Adalbert [SD][Ringholm] - Windischmann, Tilman [CD-D][Leonstatt] - Wintergreen, Claudia [CD-D][Halsten]

The Regency of Lindblum
National population: 81.30 million

Parliamentarian: 93 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 2
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 10
• Green: 2
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 18
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Bos, Unke [CD-D][Vienazi] - De Haan, Elise [SD][Nesjahströnd] - De Hoop, Heico [SD][Salaclosta] - De Jager, Elisabeth [CD-D][Mõisalamäe] - Glöckner, Emanuel [CD-C][Barhausen] - Goldblatt, Eckhard [SD][Fürstendorf] - Groeneveld, Jolt [CD-D][Jørpesnes] - Heida, Nelis [CD-D][Uktai] - Hoekstra, Adela [CD-D][Stocklanda] - Hofman, Meile [CD-C][Kópalavik] - Höffner, Alfred [SD][Aarseen] - Hylkema, Jenneke [SD][Obelpeda] - Kallenbach, Käte [SD][Neudorf] - Kessler, Rüdiger [SD][Arkmel] - Kloosterman, Jildert [YF][Kalapiö] - Kootstra, Heie [CD-D][Kópasstaðir] - Miedema, Jeppe [SD][Kundi] - Oosterbaan, Lubbert [CD-D][Narsøra] - Reitsma, Fedderik [CD-D][Kanna] - Thorndon-Stevensonn, Annabelle [CD-D][Altbrandenburg] - Van Der Ley, Salves [SD][Selgarás] - Schildkraut, Antonin [SD][Pfullendorf] - Schünemann, Emmeline [SD][Westerzaal] - Van Der Plaats, Lute [SD][Tinglund] - Van Der Sluis, Wolter [SD][Alinghärad] - Veenstra, Gabrielle [SD][Daugavbate] - Veldman, Roeltsje [SD][Sortgrunn] - Visser, Uble [SD][Rosrup] - Von Weber, Magdalena [SD][Groneuzen] - Wassenaar, Aaldert [SD][Seterhelle] - Wielinga, Anne [G][Nemencius] - Wigbolt, Lukas [G][Nosämäki] - Zwart, Loeke [CD-D][Kybarmune]

The Kingdom of Burmecia

National population: 66.51 million
Parliamentarian: 76 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 1
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 6
• Green: 2
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 13
• Yohannes First: 4
• Directory:
  Anderson, Oliver [CD-D][Kearley] - Ashwell, Patrick [SD][Dorter] - Atkinson, Arthur [G][Dalholm] - Bonner, John [SD][Oreo] - Chump, Ronald [SD][New Cleyra] - Evans, Bailey [CD-C][Manshire] - Dawson, Edward [CD-D][Groriden] - Fallage, Nickel [YF][South East Burmecia] - Fletcher, Kayla [G][Weston] - Harrison, Duncan [CD-D][Gracedean] - Harston, Nicholas [SD][Ashpon] - Johnson, Doris [SD][Rondown] - Le Men, Pauline [YF][Pan-de-Tallinn] - Mattingley, Louise [SD][Readwell] - McCarthy, Harley [CD-D][Clarenduff] - Mulford, Anthony [SD][Presfort] - Palin, Clara [SD][Alanka] - Pembleton, Joseph [SD][Clindover] - Robinson, Emma [SD][Birmingminster] - Robinson, Jonathan [CD-D][Normouth] - Robyn, Jeremy [SD][Clearingtonne] - Ryan, Saul [SD][Weirconsin] - Stoneware, Kellyanne [YF][Old Hershsey] - Twogabe, Robert [YF][Timetable] - Webster, Zoe [SD][Saint Elisabeth] - Zimmerman, Rose [CD-D][Kensingmark]

The Grand Duchy of Dali

National population: 13.07 million
Parliamentarian: 15 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 2
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 3
• Green: 0
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 7
• Yohannes First: 3
• Directory:
  Almgren, Tyres [SD][Villuoja] - Almqvist, Nils [CD-D][Marieland] - Edström, Jan [CD-C][Huahólmur] - Fältskog, Mikael [YF][CD-C] - Fredholm, Arendt [YF][Tårnlev] - Hallström, Vensel [CD-D][Mosfellshöfn] - Holmlund, Alexander [YF][Landshärad] - Isaksson, Isabella [YF][Hønedal] - Nordin, Magnus [SD][Dybby] - Östberg, Sara [SD][Stjørdalskjer] - Östlund, André [Sognsøra][CD-D] - Södergren, Gjöl [SD][Esbæk] - Strömberg, Samuel [SD][Širkos] - Sundström, Tobias [SD][Orstad] - Wikström, Roger [SD][Tõrri]

The Grand Duchy of Donata

National population: 11.59 million
Parliamentarian: 13 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 9
• Green: 1
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 3
• Yohannes First: 0
• Directory:
  Allemann, Chloe [CD-D][Järventee] - Asgeirsson, Timoteus [CD-D][Skrunza] - Eggertsson, Stanley [CD-D][Pasvis] - Häberli, Ryan [SD][Sóljavík] - Ingimagnsson, Unnsteinn [CD-D][Suursuu] - Isaksson, Maj-Britt [CD-D][Silketrup] - Jesson, Ingvar [SD][Kalma] - Josafatsson, Haflidi [SD][Rigulda] - Neumeister, Gene [CD-D][Breiðdalsnagil] - Östberg, Ingrid [G][Halbjerg] - Sjöholm, Oscar [CD-D][Ähtäkumpu] - Sundström, Hindrik [CD-D][Jõgevee] - Wallenberg, Sten [CD-D][Kópasreykir]

The Noble Republic of Treno

National population: 10.80 million
Parliamentarian: 12 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 9
• Green: 1
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 2
• Yohannes First: 0
• Directory:
  Breytenbach, Florentine [CD-D][Friedscheid] - Diederich, Eckardt [CD-D][Arnswagen] - Löw, Adam [CD-D][Nieuwlare] - Ortmann, Arnold [SD][Dornzing] - Schickendantz, Nikolaus [CD-D][Spreitensingen] - Schöpfer, Markus [SD][Woudnisse] - Rothman, Helena [G][Spreitenkirch] - Schünemann, Rose [CD-D][Zuiderhoven] - Staudenmaier, Emilia [CD-D][Zuiderzaal] - Strittmatter, Helge [Frauencour][CD-D] - Waldmüller, Gunter [CD-D][Griesfurt] - Wissmann, Silvester [CD-D][Dillenräschen]

The Grand Duchy of Kradenmark

National population: 9.31 million
Parliamentarian: 11 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 6
• Green: 0
• Independent: 1
• Social Democratic: 3
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Bodenheimer, Günther [CD-D][Waldentern] - Bötticher, Gabriele [CD-D][Kirchkirchen] - Buchman, Fabio [SD][Salzstatt] - Eichmann, Torben [IND][Houilès] - Hammarberg, Julian [CD-D][Tüluoja] - Lundström, Fiona [SD][Manhamn] - Olofsson, Wilmer [YF][Öholm] - Pettersson, Thomas [CD-D][Brumundland] - Schuhbeck, Helibert [CD-D][Waldentern] - Schult, Marco [CD-D][Windningen] - Schünemann, Theresa [SD][Großenlug]

The Duchy of Blomgren

National population: 8.95 million
Parliamentarian: 10 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 1
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 5
• Green: 1
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 2
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Geertsma, Edou [SD][Rankmarkt] - Hiemstra, Liebe [SD][Heerlen] - Koopman, Haike [CD-D][Eekstraten] - Nieuwenhuis, Ljipke [CD-D][Naamwerpen] - Riemersma, Jaring [G][Rheidorf] - Smit, Hauk [CD-C][Kirchheim] - Snijder, Tsjiete [CD-D][Trosill] - Stienstra, Bearnt [YF][Roosenmuiden] - Wielinga, Emma [CD-D][Heerlen] - Wieringa, Melkert [CD-D][Dübenpen]

The Merchant Republic of Alseca-Lorin

National population: 7.40 million
Parliamentarian: 9 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 2
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 3
• Green: 2
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 1
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Azéma, Roland [G][Yougney] - Bechard, Nathanaël [CD-D][Tougnan] - Chardin, Barthélemy [CD-D][Linoît] - De Saint-Pierre, Djeferson [SD][Levanau] - Lièvremont, Joseph [CD-C][Nanssis] - Ménard, Adam [CD-D][Dorstedt] - Moreau, Hervé [YF][Belway] - Pueyrredón, Félicité [CD-C][Montlun] - Rousseau, Cécile [G][Arlee]

The Merchant Republic of Landburg

National population: 7.33 million
Parliamentarian: 8 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 3
• Green: 1
• Independent: 1
• Social Democratic: 3
• Yohannes First: 0
• Directory:
  Eichmann, Hanna [SD][Münchenmôtier] - Goethe, Ferdinand [CD-D][Hallzing] - Kirchweger, Emily [CD-D][Bremstadt] - Köhler, Jakob [SD][Zouterborg] - Mergenthaler, Olivia [G][Schärein] - Musäus, Bernhart [IND][Essbeuren] - Steinhäusser, Wendelin [SD][Frisee] - Wiener, Martin [CD-D][Freudenbrück]

The Principality of Ahlgren

National population: 7.19 million
Parliamentarian: 8 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 3
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 1
• Green: 1
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 1
• Yohannes First: 2
• Directory:
  Beckenbauer, Diana [G][Noordburg] - Ehrenreich, Augustin [CD-C][Adestedt] - Frankenburg, Hermione [SD][Klagenweg] - Halberstam, Ester [CD-D][Bonnheim] - Jahnke, Dietmar [YF][Einlingen] - Viermetz, Gregor [CD-C][Vólkerkirchen] - Wanka, Hugo [CD-C][Roesberge] - Westermann, Lennart [YF][Bredeburg]

The Unitary Republic of Molander

National population: 27.31 million
Parliamentarian: 31 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 4
• Green: 2
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 5
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Blumenfeld, Matthias [CD-D][Fürstenbeck] - Fredriksen, Chris [CD-D][Skalavik] - Freudenstein, Ägidius [SD][Tilstein] - Grossman, Maximilian [G][Bevereind] - Hasselmann, Emanuel [YF][Laagstel] - Hönigswald, Isabella [SD][Alslingen] - Norland, Bjarte [G][Hamrar] - Norstoga, Hannah [CD-D][Skjalfandafljot] - Otterness, Hjørdis [CD-D][Hornafjoror] - Ribbentrop, Martin [SD][Ennewig] - Schürmann, Gretel [SD][Westerkum] - Schwarzenberger, Rebekka [SD][Nieuweschede]

The Democratic Republic of Cederström

National population: 25.09 million
Parliamentarian: 29 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 2
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 3
• Green: 1
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 3
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Friedrich, Ruth [CD-D][Rankhausen] - Goebel, Nicola [G][Westenburg] - Eisenberger, Dominik [CD-C][Antzen] - Hauschka, Kay [SD][Vollenfort] - Kruckenberg, Adrian [SD][Adelsdorf] - Nagelberg, Marwin [SD][Herven] - Schönfeld, Josephine [CD-D][Wittenlingen] - Schwarzman, Norbert [YF][Neugen] - Wentz, Edmund [CD-D][Skibbenard] - Wessely, Joel [CD-C][Salzeinn]

The Royal Realm of Cleyra

National population: 8.91 million
Parliamentarian: 10 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 2
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 4
• Green: 1
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 2
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Abrahamsen, Victoria [CD-C][Sjoland] - Gjertsen, Ingrid [SD][Gil] - Grimstad, Kåre [YF][Gilsbakki] - Gronseth, Gaute [CD-D][Hafnaross] - Homstad, Hallvard [CD-C][Manarfell] - Kleven, Sindre [SD][Jokulvikra] - Sandberg, Karina [G][Reykjarholl] - Stordalen, Jørn [CD-D][Sandfell] - Vagen, Sjur [CD-D][Eyvindarholar] - Volden, Kristine [CD-D][Krysuvik]

The Duchy of Gizamaluke-Grotto

National population: 5.70 million
Parliamentarian: 7 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 1
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 4
• Green: 0
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 1
• Yohannes First: 1
• Directory:
  Ashwell, Allen [YF][Dukeport] - Cantor, Ewdin [CD-C][Southmonde] - Chambers, Stanley [CD-D][Eastderry] - Hosking, Smile [CD-D][Poshtown] - Stevenson, Margaret [CD-D][Southbay] - Thomas, Madeline [CD-D][Ravenmarsh] - Woodmore, Malcolm [SD][Genelope]

The Duchy of Ice Cavern

National population: 4.71 million
Parliamentarian: 5 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 2
• Green: 1
• Independent: 0
• Social Democratic: 2
• Yohannes First: 0
• Directory:
  Armstrong, Georgina [G][Stoke] - Chen, Jonathan [CD-D][Flushing] - Grafton, Lewis [SD][Karori] - Hussain, Charles [CD-D][Ridgesend] - Parker, Bryan [SD][Emree]

The Principality of Mandragora

National population: 1.93 million
Parliamentarian: 2 Members
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 1
• Green: 0
• Independent: 1
• Social Democratic: 0
• Yohannes First: 0
• Directory:
  Schotanus, Franke [CD-D][Aarstal] - Van Houten, Elisa [IND][Salzhofen]

The City State of Crescent

National population: 1.18 million
Parliamentarian: 1 Member
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 0
• Green: 0
• Independent: 1
• Social Democratic: 0
• Yohannes First: 0
• Directory:
  Gallagher, Jack [IND][Crescent]

The City State of Coral

National population: 1.02 million
Parliamentarian: 1 Member
Party:

• Christian Democratic - Christian: 0
• Christian Democratic - Democratic: 0
• Green: 0
• Independent: 1
• Social Democratic: 0
• Yohannes First: 0
• Directory:
  O'neill, Owen [IND][Coral]

---

[Yohannes]

---

[ Out of Character message from the author: related threads [ here ] and [ here ] ]

---

Agreement for Equal Trade and the Connecting of the Nineteen Countries Economy with the Economy of Arthropol

Equal Trade and Connecting of Economies 2017 — Arthropol -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Monday, 4 September 2017 - Volume 951; Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


1. HAIKE KOOPMAN (Christian Democratic - Democratic) to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade: How will Equal Trade and Connecting of Economies 2017 — Arthropol helping boost foreign trade over the next three years?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER (Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade; Christian Democratic - Democratic): Arthropol Trade 2017 will make small, but important contribution to the current Duality Economy policy of the Christian Democratic Executive Council. The Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Post, Railway and Telecommunications has reported that Arthropol Trade 2017 will slightly boost inward telecommunications investment by at least 250 million NationStates Dollars or Universal Standard Dollars over three years in the telecommunications industry, 1.1 billion NSD in renewable energy commercialisation — that is, fully in accordance with the Resource Management Amendment Act 1987, and as reported recently by the Renewable Energy Development Corporation — and 1.7 billion NSD in the fields of chemistry and material development, taking the apparent additional investment in the Nineteen Countries to 3.05 billion NSD over the next three years. On top of these additional investments — that is, money coming into the Nineteen Countries, not out — we of course want to make sure that the apparent benefits will go even further, which is why the Office of the Chief Economist has been tasked recently with exploring any alternative routes in order for us to get more value for the money invested in Arthropol by Yohannes, and vice versa.

HAIKE KOOPMAN: How will this investment you have mentioned further help the vulnerable members of our society?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: The original theme of Arthropol Trade 2017 was to further the prosperity of Yohannesians, and that of course includes members of our society who are in need — through measures such as the Vocational Education Authority’s Night Learning and Re-skill Programme. That is why, as part of our budget, the Executive Council is investing over 300 million NSD for the next three years in specific reskilling and vocational schemes, with source of such capital to come from the profit we acquired in Arthropol Trade 2017. This includes over twenty schemes aimed at tackling societal issues for those in need. To go along the theme of our Executive Council, the majority of this income will go towards the reskilling and related support schemes for those in need and their direct families; with at least 50 million NSD already being invested this year to ensure the acceptable support of these families, and the children in such families.

HAIKE KOOPMAN: What are the Executive Council’s future intentions for investing in Arthropol?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: Arthropol Trade 2017 clearly outlined the future benefits of connecting our economy with that nation-state, with forecast growth of almost 50 billion NSD in the long run — by the year 2025, to be exact — attributed alone to the realisation of this Agreement. When we take this into account together with the apparent benefits previously mentioned, this means the Executive Council is committed to spread the benefits of Equal Trade Agreement and the Connecting of Economy towards those sensitive areas untouched by the previous Social Democratic Executive Council.

Rt Hon SAUL RYAN (Speaker of Parliament; Social Democratic): Before this Oral Question is laid to rest, I want to ask the Minister: Why did Arthropol Trade 2017 prioritise only 250 million NSD of telecommunications investment for the next three years whilst spending 300 million NSD — 50 million more — for the next three years, in reskilling and vocational schemes. Renewable energy development surely cannot make as much a return as that of the telecommunications industry, if truly, quote, ... in order for us to get more value for the money invested in Arthropol by Yohannes, and vice versa... invested in Yohannes, unquote, is the true objective of the Christian Democratic Executive Council for this agreement?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: I expect that the, without a doubt, non-partisan Mr Speaker [ laughing heard all around the Christian Democratic and Green seats ] will finish his sentence with as much falsity as one would expect from reading his Finance and Expenditure Committee questions yesterday. At the end of the day, the Renewable Energy Development Corporation has reported under a bipartisan setting which I am sure The Right Honourable Speaker would remember. Of course, my expectation can somehow be thrown into doubt, considering the tendency of The Right Honourable Speaker to quote “real news” and not “fake news”, as I am sure The Right Honourable Speaker’s fellow Burmecian Member from the New Cleyra Electorate, The Honourable Ronald Chump, would agree.

[ TELL THAT TO HIS WEIRCONSIN BEST OF OIL BUDDIES...! A member from the Green section heckled ]

The simple facts are that Arthropol Trade 2017 will make small, but important contribution to the current Duality Economy policy of the Christian Democratic Executive Council, with almost 100 million NSD... or at least 50 million NSD being invested to ensure the acceptable support of low-income families, and children in such families.

From the Office of the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade
The Honourable Emily Kirchweger, Member of Parliament for the Bremstadt Electorate
A letter to The Honourable Adam Lebas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Arthropol

Your esteemed Minister,

There is no denying the reality that lively competition will always work as a powerful catalyst for the realisation of a high rate of growth. The economic history of the Nineteen Countries, today a nation-state of 379 million people, certainly supports that statement. During the Second Industrial Growth Era, it was well-documented that domestic inter-firm competition was very desirous, and the word “unrestrained rivalry” was often used to portray this strange attribute of the Yohannesian economy; although its meaning was not always clear in academic terms amongst World Assembly economists.

I believe that there were three elements which had accelerated this historical situation of “unrestrained rivalry” in the Nineteen Countries:

1. A situation of the buyer’s market:

The existence of a large number of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises — the traditional workhorse of the Yohannesian economy — based on abundant cheap labour, has become an almost perpetual source of new entry into industry despite the widespread presence of large enterprises, which formed an oligopoly or a state of limited competition, in which a market is shared by a small number of producers or sellers amongst themselves.

In reality, many micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises are affiliated with the large enterprises through such things as organised, pre-planned invitation to tender and subcontracting; and so we have a situation of monopsony, a market situation in which there is only one buyer in relation to products supplied by the subcontracted micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

An element of the “unrestrained tendency” of inter-firm rivalry in selling can be seen in these quintessential Yohannesian enterprises.

2. The social market intervention to artificially create the duality economy — social market economy — as represented by MEIT (Ministry of Domestic Economy, Export Industry, and International Trade):

The nation-state intervention in the form of fixed investment control in some oligopolistic industries, e.g. iron, steel, electrical conductors and resistors, had caused desirous inter-firm investment competition in the possible hope of higher share in their market.

3. The “two economy” reality:

The high growth potential of the economy because of the gap between the nation-state’s potential technological capabilities, based on its high-level of education and the still outdated technology employed during the “catch-up” period, had caused a situation of ruthless competition in the introduction of advanced foreign technology; not only amongst large enterprises, but also amongst micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Such an “unrestrained rivalry” situation could have been one of the catalysts which brought about the sharp growth for over a century uninterrupted; although we could also claim that unrestrained rivalry was in fact a consequence of high growth rate, and not the other way around.

It should be noted, however, that rivalry and market competition, not within but without, with foreign nation-states, had been much more limited then in comparison to now. During the import restriction days of the Second Industrial Growth period, many industries which were still “newborn” around ten years after the tabled Foreign Mission Act 1787 had come into force, had matured as healthy export industries.

If the foreign trade liberalisation and “free trade” policy of today had been enforced in the early dark days of “industrial catch-up” and “modernisation to save the nation-state from occidental colonisation and subjugation”, I feel that the gradual emergence of such industries into the favourably competitive industries of today, e.g. financial services and banking, capital-intensive manufacturing, would not have been possible.

One could therefore say that the combination of import restriction with the internal “unrestrained rivalry” beast was one of many factors responsible for the remarkable growth of nineteenth and early twentieth century Yohannes. Another thing to note was that the growth of these “newborn” industries was not reduced to a few sectors; it expanded to other sectors of the nineteenth and early twentieth century economy. Accordingly, a good amount of export industries developed, in turn acting as powerful pillars to sustain the already existing healthy rate of growth.

I do not claim, however, that an everlasting condition of import restriction will contribute to the desirous high rate of growth Your Esteemed Minister had wanted. Arthropol is in a much better position than the “culturally uncivilised” and “economically backward” Yohannes then (two hundred years cannot be looked at as the distant past, if we count how old the community beyond the International Incidents is). Unlike Arthropol, which can rightfully place itself alongside other industrialised nation-states, the Nineteen Countries of the nineteenth century could not afford the luxury of free trade. Today, of course, it is quite the different story.

Naturally, it is understandable that, after establishing acceptable standards of competitive power in key industries, Yohannes of the early twentieth century would then take the steps necessary to eliminate, or at least substantially reduce, her import barriers; to liberalise her capital transactions and movements. However, it must be noted that in this catching-up process, the control of import for some period of time was one important factor which encouraged growth. For that reason, the same could also be seen in Arthropol’s case, provided that it has the inclination and inherent potential to introduce new technology and expand its economy through internal competition.

To follow the principles of our social market economy and, until recently, duality economic policy; that is, the “capacity to learn and adapt”, we can say that the newly industrialised nineteen countries then had probably displayed a good sense of inclination, and showed the inherent capacity to transform her industrial structure. The twenty years between 1933 and 1953 had seen agricultural labour decreased by twenty-seven per cent. Her capital and investment intensive industry ratio increased to about forty per cent, which was higher than the more mature and older industrialised nation-states, e.g. Knootoss, The Scandinvans, and Van Luxemburg.

The accelerated pace where new technologies were introduced, for various industries, was sublime. The introduction of the latest methods of production and high-level technology into the economy, and the flexible financing options available had created the foundation necessary; with the accelerated growth found within sectors of the economy by financial institutions, e.g. the Bank of Yohannes, being also a representation of the nation’s inherent capacity to transform. Of course, transformation and the inclination to do so could partly be the results of the high growth rate, but this causality could also be said the other way around.

The economies of the more mature industrialised nation-states of the old world — which had forcibly opened the continent of Yohannes to the foreign definition of “free trade” using the threats of colonialism and military intervention — were in the so-called secular stagnation period, and one of the reasons could have been their extremely low willingness to transform their economies and industrial structures from that of internationalised, and extremely liberalised market model, in the face of the emergence of newly industrialised nation-states and market players.

By contrast, the late modernising Yohannesian economies had exhibited a high flexibility in the transformation of their industrial structures. The rapid growth of the Yohannesian economy was sustained from the Second Industrial Growth period to the Deflation and Lagging period of the nineties, and finally today, where it can be safe to assume that the Nineteen Countries have joined the ranks of the mature industrialised nation-states of yesteryear.

Therein lies our problem: Whereas many other economies continue to enjoy acceptable growth rate, the nineteen countries meanwhile has lagged behind in a malaise of stunted growth since the eighties. This, in spite of the marked increase of investment undertaken by various small and medium sized enterprises affiliated with the duality economy operations of the Bank of Yohannes and VMK AG. Nothing has worked to solve our problem; the problem of a first world nation state.

This can be seen by the recent decision of our government to remove ourselves from the multifaceted matters of nation states power politics and international incidents. We will confess that the nineteen countries of today has been eclipsed in matters of international diplomacy and power politics by the fast growing – some would say in the most aggressive way possible. Today, nation states such as Greater Nifon and New Edom and treaty organisations such as SACTO have assumed that high-growth seat, and are busy propelling themselves to greater diplomatic, economic, and most certainly, military height.

It is the culmination of the flying geese paradigm; that the next generation will always surpass the previous one. As a neutral member of the international communities of nation states, we are confident of our undertakings: The pursuit of common prosperity with other peoples of the international communities, irrespective of diplomatic ideologies or nation state politics. It is with that in mind that I have taken the necessary steps to communicate my interest to representatives of your office this morning. You will find the required application expressing the interest of the Christian Democratic Executive Council resting before your desk.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade

Economic Growth and Income Tax Threshold 2017 — Domestic -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Tuesday, 5 September 2017 - Volume 951; Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


1. RUTH FRIEDRICH (Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Rankhausen) to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade: How is the Christian Democratic Executive Council ensuring Yohannesians share in the gains of our current economic growth?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER (Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Bremstadt): Yohannesians gain from a strong economic growth first of all through increasing salaries and wages and higher number of jobs available. After-Tax Real Income have increased by eleven per cent so far under the Christian Democratic Executive Council; and today we have over 261 million people employed in the nineteen countries — that is a ten per cent increase from when this Executive Council first took office.

Furthermore, I want to stress the following: Budget Reform 2017’s Re-skilling and Vocational Support Scheme will inevitably impact, positively, families of low and lower-middle incomes. Let me bring the Member back to the debate of last week: the tabled documents which supported my sentence today — that at least 125 million families will be better off by around 30 in NationStates Dollar a week on average by 11 June next year; this achievement realised through such measures as altering Income Tax Brackets and Threshold; boosting money for families of low and lower-middle incomes through taxation bonus and credit; and more joint ministerial Equality and Social Welfare and MEIT programmes supporting such families, e.g., Mature Student Loan Lump Sum Payment, Temporary Parental Allowances, et al.

Let me say this whilst standing now before you, and address the Members of this august parliament. I will make sure — this Executive Council will make sure that more families and returning workers out there share in the gains of our growing economy.

RUTH FRIEDRICH: How do the alteration of Income Tax Brackets and Threshold especially help Yohannesian families?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: The brackets and threshold updates in Budget Reform 2017 are focused on the last bracket, and they mean that anyone earning over 7,500 in NationStates Dollar a year gets an additional 10 NSD per week, or, for those earning over 37,500 NSD a year, they get 30 NSD per week more. These updates will most importantly support low, lower-middle, and middle income families who have been unhappy by the unfairness of the Income Tax Brackets and Threshold regime of the previous Social Democratic Executive Council. Why should we pay more when in fact we are not getting richer?

I know that there are individuals out there who will disagree with these updates, or will disagree with its small scale; however by this time around two years from now at least 125 million families will be better off by 40 NSD a week and, to top it (all) off, at least 5 million senior citizens will gain 5 NSD a week.

ANNA WIELINGA (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Animal and Plant Health Regulations; Green; Electorate of Nemencius): How much will the predicted eight-year surplus be after these updates were fully implemented throughout the realm?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: To clarify, I do not have the precise number to show the Member; but I can tell her that of that surplus, we are reinvesting all of it, of note, back into infrastructure over the next eight years — and to take into account of that fact I have ensured 313 billion NSD more to be available, for currently under funded projects, that may come up over the next four or so years from now. I am sure we can agree that that is a big number, big investment, for our infrastructure — 2.51 trillion NSD. A scene not unlike a nation state investing in its own growth: it will deliver amazing infrastructure for Yohannesians.

RUTH FRIEDRICH: How is the Executive Council guaranteeing that 125 billion NSD be available for the Re-skilling and Vocational Support Scheme?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: By guaranteeing that the Yohannesian economy will continue to expand in a sustainable manner, which gives us the opportunity to not only touch in the Re-skilling and Vocational Support Scheme, but also touch other underfunded areas of governance, invest in these areas, and thus ensure public services and infrastructure are up to date. When public services and infrastructure — infrastructure, especially — are up to date, growth will be sustained, or ideally increase. As you can see, it is a never-ending cycle that we must ensure running uninterrupted. And that is why we are in Executive Council, because we are an Executive Council promising Yohannesians a brighter future.

That can only be made into reality through a solid economic strategy. Using our strategy, commerce and trade — domestic and exporting businesses — will continue to grow alongside the economy, in a sustainable manner, not one far behind the other or the other way around. A strong economy that is not just strong but also in harmony. We cannot achieve such an economy through... measures such as... a broad unplanned tax cut for the lowest twenty per cent, less social net and backup services for temporary non workers, and taxing promising industries of the future, i.e., renewable energy development.

RUTH FRIEDRICH: In what other way can Budget Reform 2017 be supporting Yohannesians to reach that brighter future?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: One outcome of a growing economy is that more younger Yohannesians can stay at home, in the continent of Yohannes, to reach milestones they cannot otherwise achieve by staying at home. We know that certain industry experiences can only be acquired overseas, by working in nation states such as Mokastana, in pharmaceutical, and Stevid, in army technology, et al. But that is no more. We are concentrating at home, not overseas. We are dismantling our unnecessary diplomatic, military, and political infrastructure and associated bureaucracy overseas, and instead growing infrastructure and wealth in the nineteen countries. One loss for another gain. Just like the basic elementary-level laws of physics, we cannot realistically have it both ways. We are dismantling unnecessary diplomatic and military commitment abroad and concentrate in strengthening our economy at home. Just like the old nation state Yohannes; how we got here in the first place. We will return there, and Yohannesian families — mum and dad investors, first homeowners, small and medium business owners, domestic chemical technologists and shipbuilders — will benefit from it.

More houses will be built; more chemical and structural facilities constructed at home; material development going up; and people staying at home to pursue their careers and futures in the continent. In fact, both residential and commercial constructions are at their peak levels, and Budget Reform 2017 will help that reality becoming stronger with schemes such as our First Homebuyer and Small and Medium Business Fund; together allowing us to build 6.8 million new houses over the next eight years. All these made into reality by measures, such as one: our withdrawal from international incidents and overseas nation states military engagement and power politics. And not by increasing taxes on assets. Or on capital gains. No new houses will be built from doing that.

ANNA WIELINGA: How is it possible that The Honourable Minister is a Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade, and not know that her own Office of Economic Affairs has predicted a surplus of 8.1 trillion NSD over the next eight years?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: Let me explain. Because the Member asked that as a supplementary question just after midday. I could not provide an answer because there were no concrete numbers to support my answer. Trying to give misinformation is certainly not something that I want to do. However, now that we know the number — 8.1 trillion NSD over the next eight years, I just want to say this: the reality is that a significant amount of that figure will be allocated towards Yohannesian infrastructure; bridges, pipelines, roads — infrastructure of nation state significance. Infrastructure that will accelerate economic growth for the next eight years.

ANNA WIELINGA: Is the Minister trying to suggest that the Office of the Chief Economist is trying to mislead members of the public when it includes within its monthly report that ‘investment towards nation state infrastructure is included within the figures listed under capital account’, and then affirming that the Executive Council will have a surplus of ‘8.1 trillion NSD over the next eight years.’

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: I can only say this for the Member. An operating surplus equals non-capital operating expenditure. Capital is invested out of that operating surplus. I know that it is a matter of technicality, but that was the meaning when I said ‘that that money is allocated towards infrastructure investment.’ Only when surplus was announced, and acknowledged as so — legal, that is, and not manufactured — by banks, institutions, and agencies of not just the nineteen countries but the World Assembly, then we can allocate that capital towards investment. Investment towards infrastructure, chemical technology, material development, renewable energy, et al. If, however, the Member is trying to count the leftover money over the next eight years; that is, by looking at the Executive Council Consolidated Account — our bank account — then I can assure the Member that it would be more or less neutral, coming in and coming out, steady as she goes, during that eight-year period.

ANNA WIELINGA: Let me ask the Minister this then: why did her predecessor announce just that when in fact capital account was not neutral just three years ago?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: Well, that is why we are in Executive Council, and not the Social Democrats. [ Interruption, WHAT IS THIS, THIS LADY CAN TALK...! Some members from the Social Democratic section heckled ]

An operating surplus is what you see on screen. Bing. Sorry, you are out of cash. Or... ting! This is your lucky day. After one pays their creditors and reduce one's debt, or possibly even eliminate one's debt, in The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary. [ ... making a sign of the cross... ] Then after that you spend your money, as surplus, towards investment, to grow the economy of your nation state. A, B, and C.

ANNA WIELINGA: Supplementary question. [ Interruption, JUST GET ON WITH IT WILL YA...? STOP BEING THE CHEEERLEADER GO BACK TO COLLEGE, some members from the Yohannes First section heckled ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! That member has the right to ask supplementary questions.

ANNA WIELINGA: Thank you Mr Speaker. [ ... ] As the Minister can only have one or the other; no double answers or double speak, can she accept the statement that 8.1 trillion NSD will be in her operating account, quote, over the next eight years, unquote, and if so, why did she claim not knowing that number of surplus at the start of this questioning?

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: That statement contains two supplementary questions. The Minister will address just one.

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: In conclusion, and to satisfy the Member, the Christian Democratic Executive Council will inject 2.51 trillion NSD towards the nineteen countries’ infrastructure for the next eight years. For a brighter future for Yohannesians. I am getting what the Member is trying to communicate here, and yes, she is right. We can do the alternative. But we have taken this direction. Thank you.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Minister of Education

Education Standard and Parental Housing 2017 — Domestic -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Wednesday, 6 September 2017 - Volume 951; Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


Hon JENNEKE HYLKEMA (Social Democratic; Electorate of Obelpeda): A person knows that something isn’t working as it should. She or he constantly fails to achieve her or his potential. She or he tries the same method, over and over again, hoping that it’ll work. But it won’t. And it will never work, until the day she or he dies.

To know that there is something wrong, somewhere, we must first confess that we have messed up somewhere. And then, only then, we start from ground zero, to reach that destination. Unfortunately, this Christian Democratic Executive Council is still very much in denial. Even though seventy-four per cent of a metropolitan super electorate — the Greater Halsten super electorate, to be exact — had voted yesterday that the Regency of Lindblum is experiencing a severe education funding crisis. To make things even more unpleasant, a depressing twenty-eight per cent of those Halstenians opine that they will leave Greater Halsten for other less-crowded electorates in Lindblum — or possibly even further afield outside Lindblum; the Kingdom of Alexandria, the country-of-origin of the current Emperor herself, perhaps? Or maybe the Kingdom of Burmecia? The land of the eternal rain? — Because they want the best education for their children. Because these people could not afford the luxury of private, ten thousand per annum college^{[Note 1]} education. That is, let me summarise this: Almost half of Halstenians are not happy with the subpar level of education their children receive in school.

Something is going wrong here. Something is going wrong here! I know what it is. An education crisis. And we all know that an education crisis has negative effects on every part of society. Secondary schools of various decile levels in the last three years have failed to provide personal notebook computers for more than half of children in Halsten? A teacher to student ratio of one to thirty-five! That is just sad. The school population has increased substantially since 2013 because of immigration — which are perfectly acceptable and understandable, if managed properly — and this Christian Democratic Executive Council has not done anything, at all! Unbelievable. We are just about to touch the one trillion in NationStates Dollar surplus per year, and less than ten per cent of it — that is, less than ten cents for every one NSD of surplus — are being spent on general education; to increase the breadth and depth of the Universal Education Authority.

And what follows overcrowding of school? Housing. That’s right. Houses are not being built fast enough to keep up with the demand. So what must a caring mother do thrown in such a situation? Well, she and her husband must move somewhere less crowded — possibly quitting their jobs — so that their children can have a, oh this is just rich, quote, a brighter future, unquote. Quote, because we are an Executive Council promising Yohannesians a brighter future, unquote. [ … Proceeds to glance towards Hon Emily Kirchweger’s row of seats… ] Of course, there is the alternative. And what is that? Private education. How about Saint Elisabeth College, an equivalent ten decile private secondary school in the heart of Royal Burmecia? Thirty thousand per annum. [ … Glancing towards the Judicature Overseer… ]

That’s right, folks. Spend thirty grand a year, and you will have ‘a brighter future’. Or, of course, afford renting in one of ‘the inner suburbs’ knowing that you have wasted your money on something — for the best of universal education — that increases at three times faster than official inflation; a rate announced by this Christian Democratic Executive Council themselves.

[ Interruption, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE PLEASE; some members from the Social Democratic section heckled. ]

This year I have seen something that I have never seen previously in my area of responsibility. My electorate. My home. A vagabond wearing an office shirt living it out rough at the Local Government Authority Shelter House. He looks like a twenty something young man. A heavy sack of student loan acting as permanent load upon his shoulder, perhaps? A driven ambition to work hard and not spend his hard earned NationStates Dollars for greedy landlords and thieving foreign investors? I do not know. But this promising young man has given up on his dream of home ownership. I have never seen anything like it in my parliamentary career. For people like this promising young man, what will the Christian Democratic Executive Council do? Let’s see. The first move of the Imperial Treasurer and the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade both publicly was to hold the Greater Halsten Regional Council accountable for the surge of new migrants and residents — that’s right, blame the local government authorities for empire-wide problems caused by Executive Council fiscal and economic policy. I am sure one of the reasons they arrive at the big cities is, not, because of lack of acceptable regional and rural career opportunities. It’s just because they want to absorb in the clean air of the metropolis daily.

Second, the Minister of Employment and Labour Reserves tiddly-winked with vague promises, i.e., Urban Development Authorities legislation. That is not what a metropolis like Halsten needs. It needs a centralised system to mitigate the infrastructure, housing, and population growth crisis. It needs a government at the imperial level that is willing to work together with greater regional councils and the nineteen governments at the national level. During my tenure as Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Reserves, we managed to solve this problem by ensuring the compliance of not just public providers of housing, but also private contractors, to strict categories of housing, in accordance with the Resource Management Amendment Act. And one of the after effects can be seen now, more than five years in the future. Even without direct support from this Christian Democratic Executive Council, the Greater Halsten Regional Council has committed itself to the building of 18.8 million new homes over the next ten years. I applaud the Lord Mayor and Regional Councillors for that. The Christian Democratic Executive Council? Not so much.

Let me mention some data from the tabled documents this morning — only nine per cent of inner suburb Halsten houses are classified as ‘affordable’. That is just a wee bit lame, surely? Equally, the number of newly built inner suburb Halsten houses classified as ‘public’ housing is just as bad. And to those who refuse to see the causation with public schooling crisis? Over thirty per cent of inner city decile three to eight schools in Halsten are classified as ‘above capacity’. Please. Here is another one. We have got to travel back in time — using Wayback Machine, time machines, literally — and arrive in probably the early twentieth century to see the mocking smiles of our ancestors as they say ‘Ha! What a lame day it is to be a part of middle Yohannesians in your time!’

I would like to see a kick start of the Imperial Education Fund, to be subordinated under the Universal Education Authority, to ensure that the Education Counts body can further lift the standards on the state of early and general education in the nineteen countries. Then there is the population side. I would like to see the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade properly addressing our current population growth crisis by distributing some of that 1 trillion NSD surplus throughout the regions — not just the big cities and major economic centres of the nineteen countries. The 313 billion NSD for underfunded projects mentioned by the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade just yesterday afternoon. I would like to see some of that going towards this area to address our current education and infrastructure crisis. To show the Members how bad this crisis is in Greater Halsten: The Office of the Chief Economist has released the number 214.1 billion NSD as the total cost of the infrastructure that Halsten needs in the next five years. That is almost seventy per cent of the 313 billion NSD to be earmarked for, quote, underfunded areas of governance, unquote.

Finally, I would like to see the immigration tap turned off — or at least, reduced substantially — for now. We cannot afford to have Halsten population going up by 220,000 to 240,000 at the rate of infrastructure growth we are in as of today. Public transit system will be overcrowded. Schools will be left underfunded. Hospitals will be forced to make people wait for a very long time. We are at a turning point. The bipartisan decision and long-term foreign policy to remove our nation state from international incidents and nation states power politics was a good one. Now, we need to do equally, just as good, in matters of domestic decision making. If Halsten is overcrowded and falls under the bloated pressure, the Regency of Lindblum will truly be hurt. And if Lindblum is hurt, then the rest of the continent will feel the effects too.

MATTHIAS SCHEIDEMANN (Christian Democratic — Democratic; Electorate of Byggðakjarhverfi): Good day to the Honourable Members of this august parliament. I would like to respond to the now seated Member The Honourable Jenneke Hylkema.

[ Interruption, A WEE BIT LATE FOR THAT MR SCHADENFREUDE; some members from the Yohannes First section heckled. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! I am saying: Order! I cannot accept seeing two very senior Members of this assembly — yes, I am looking straight at you, Mr Petres — distracting the whole assembly with their tomfoolery.

MATTHIAS SCHEIDEMANN: Good day.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: To start again — MATTHIAS SCHEIDEMANN.

Starting again — MATTHIAS SCHEIDEMANN.

MATTHIAS SCHEIDEMANN: To the Honourable Members of this august parliament. Good day. I would like to respond to the now seated Member The Honourable Jenneke Hylkema, with the following: "You will be happy to know that we are working on it. We are currently working on it. The Christian Democratic Executive Council is working for Yohannesians — we have thoroughly thought about ways in which we can possibly solve these problems, and tackle accordingly the incoming difficulties head on.”

ECKARDT DIEDERICH (Christian Democratic — Democratic; Electorate of Arnswagen): As a born and bred Lindblish, I can understand the strong passion behind the warnings voiced most articulately by The Honourable Member Jenneke Hylkema. Metropolises are the beating heart of the nineteen countries, but they are not the be-all and end-all of our nation state. Of noted, this Executive Council has properly managed the financing of matters of nation state governance. But it can always do better. Which is why it is focusing on accelerating growth through both domestic and international initiatives, i.e., Equal Trade and Connecting of Economies 2017 — Arthropol and Economic Growth and Income Tax Threshold 2017 — Domestic.

To address the Member’s concern, this Executive Council is investing strongly into our infrastructure — 2.51 trillion NSD for the next eight years — and this Executive Council is certainly looking at various innovative solutions to the current empire-wide education and housing problems.

Hon Members (Yohannes First): How much?

ECKARDT DIEDERICH: 2.51 trillion, in NationStates Dollar, and to repeat what The Honourable Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade said: Allowing us to build 6.8 million new houses over the next eight years. And that is just one thing. Housing. This Executive Council is making sure we are doing just as well in matters of education, health, and public services in general.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: The debate having expired, the motion lapsed.

Note 1: College is another word for high school, or secondary school, in the nineteen countries.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Business Statement — Subject to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund

Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Thursday, 7 September 2017 - Volume 951; Business Statement — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Taking the Chair, introductory business of parliament — one post meridiem.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN (Majority Leader Pro Tempore; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Halsten): At the time parliament recommences, on Thursday, 7 September, Executive Council will see to it the realisation of Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea; to be archived as An Agreement for Nation State Fund Transaction and Othlon Corporation Stock Transfer of the Owner Entity Bank of Yohannes with the Purchasing Entity Kazansky Heavy Industries. Parliament will see to it and look to complete the Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund and Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund, in matters of Allanea the nation state, Kazansky Heavy Industries, the Nineteen Countries, and the Bank of Yohannes.

I would like to present the following as one of Tabled Papers before this assembly — [ Letter from Kazansky Heavy Industries. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: The introductory business having concluded, the motion started.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Select Committee Business — Subject to the Committee on Foreign Trade

Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Thursday, 7 September 2017 - Volume 951; Select Committee Business — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN (Majority Leader Pro Tempore; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate – Halsten): I seek leave to consider all parts and clauses of the Kazanski Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill as one question.

Committee Chairman HSH ADELBERT VII (Collegian Elector – Mandragora): Leave for that purpose is sought. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. Kazanski Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill. This Bill is now presented before the Select Committee on Foreign Trade.

This Bill is now presented before the Select Committee on Foreign Trade. Taking the Chair, committee business of parliament — three post meridiem.

One part and two clauses put in writing.

Hon ROGER LUNDBERG (Social Democratic; Electorate – Sörbylund): Upon reading, I am of the opinion that this piece of legislation is traditional. Wonted. Can I just for now first say that Social Democratic is FOR supporting the majority of details in this legislation. We put up for consideration one amendment, being the details we will communicate in due time. This is one of the fastest times that a bill has passed the Legality of Drafting and Origination. One week and just reaching two days and not even one illegality recommendation from the Justices of the Peace of the Seven Highest Order. I am confident that we will enact this piece of legislation under consideration, which will ultimately do good for our industry, trade, and workers.

I am happy to know that the Christian Democratic Executive Council has accepted our proposed amendment and vote this afternoon. I am confident that we will table this through the Select Committee by the midnight expiration date. I would like to give credit where credit is due to the Treasury and Wealth Fund Minister the Hon Alice Schneider. I am sure Members of this Committee would agree that the Minister has been nothing but pleasant in person in various tabling stages. She has done it again folks. A wee bit sure this one’s a keeper.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: She’s a keeper alright.

Hon ROGER LUNDBERG: I understand why the Christian Democratic Executive Council gets the gist of transacting with Allanea — both the Government and the nation state. Allanea is a legible one. Commerce and trade partner. Investment transacting parties. A good economy and a well-known player in the international communities of nation states and regions — though she can be too military-driven and be a wee bit too aggressive at times. I have had the pleasure of interacting with many of their fine finance and trade delegations during my time in VMK AG — Defence & Steel Works. And because of that I know that there are clauses within the initial version of this piece of legislation that the Allanean government would disagree with; their fundamental nature being desirous of good repute and prestige in foreign affairs. It would do no good if her private firms half-heartedly work with us on the ground — to which in Allanea, such is equal to the involvement by government in strategic industries, i.e., arms manufacturing, shipbuilding, or of course, financial services and banking. I am pleased therefore that this Christian Democratic Executive Council having done their homework then proceed to amend this bill and consult members of the industry further. Democracy in governance is very important to industry.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: Which is why we are here.

Hon ROGER LUNDBERG: Very well put — though there might be some Members who would disagree with the filibuster tendency of this assembly arising out of democracy itself. But what is democracy without the freedom to converse and deliberate?

[ Interruption, we know who they are...; two committee members sniggered. ]

There are several matters in this piece of legislation that we are worried about. As I remember it was the Economy, Industry, and Trade Minister Hon Emily Kirchweger who, in accordance with Supplementary Order Paper one hundred and seventy-nine, clauses two and six, put forward the statement ‘Yohannes to assume a more civilian-industrial social market economy, e.g., her decisions to outsource and decentralise…’ during question time Monday, 4 September 2017. If it is as so, then we can make the case — and I know this, although as you can see I am as close to being a lawyer as the Hon Member for New Cleyra Electorate Ronald Chump can be Chancellor — that a provision must be included somewhere to ensure the current foreign power politics withdrawal policy of this Christian Democratic Executive Council — to which we agree with — will be followed through within this transacting agreement.

“What can we do to ensuring compliance with international incidents and foreign power politics neutrality? What can we do to ensuring better reputation for our firms in future transacting agreements whilst at the same time respecting our neutrality policy? Why should we risk offending transacting parties to ensuring compliance with our neutrality policy?” Because, one, it is our integrity on the line, and two, if other parties disagreeing or looking favourably towards Allanea the nation state happen to most unfairly treat our transacting with Allanea as proof of our flaky tendency, then it is not just our integrity but also our future economic growth on the line. I want us to follow the steps of nation states following through solidly with their broad neutrality policy — such as one principled old world nation state, Van Luxemburg. But, I also want us to do better, if it is possible. As it stands, this bill has followed through with our amendment recommendation and as such we are more than ready to allay our worries.

I have no doubt that there will be extensive support for this legislation by the Select Committee midnight expiration date. Before then, we have almost three hours to examine thoroughly this bill one more time, and I am confident that the Minister, or in her place, the Majority Leader Pro Tempore, will find the time to deliberate with us to fix any mistake on the contrary prior to lifting of parliament.

In the spirit of bipartisan relationship, however, if the Minister or Majority Leader Pro Tempore could address those three issues in this session, I would be veritably grateful indeed.

Dr BRYAN PARKER (Social Democratic; Electorate – Emree): It is truly my pleasure to be invited to calling on this bill and be listed to contributing in the process of this committee.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: Don’t be too happy. The list is a short one anyway.

Dr BRYAN PARKER: Well spoken! Well spoken, truly. Now we know that Christian Democratic do choose their Majority Leader Pro Tempore well.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: Aha. Thank you.

Dr BRYAN PARKER: Lack of Members participating aside, this particular matter is something that I take very well to heart. I want to draw the attention of Members of this committee to the Supplementary Order Paper one hundred and seventy-nine declared by the Hon Roger Lundberg, because by declaring it within this assembly he had see to it that any further minor amendments within this session in relation to matters of Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea would make stronger the impact of the bill upon Allanea and Yohannes related matters of commerce and trade. This is actually a good precedent we can build on. If we take the time to measure the state of treasury in the nineteen countries with most other nation states that we should look up to, we fail to reach the goal or standard that we wanted. With our decision to withdraw from international incidents and affairs, we have now the potential to fix our domestic problems head on — education, housing, and infrastructure; and the size of our foreign-exchange reserves and sovereign wealth funds.

The government of Allanea — a government that has always legitimately recorded where they got their money from, as we can see by looking at the tabled Allanean official letter in parliament — has arrived at just the right time. Let us take this opportune moment to further rid ourselves of our historical, unnecessary foreign assets — a remnant of our historically foolish decision to expand ourselves diplomatically and militarily overseas — and do what is right for the nation state: bring that 2.2 trillion NationStates Dollars home, and use it to invest in our bridges, facilities, hospitals, houses, schools, roads, et al., to further stabilise our economy, strengthen economic growth, and solidify the social safety net and welfare of our people.

Thank you.

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the room… ]

Hon ALICE SCHNEIDER (Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund; Christian Democratic - Democratic; Electorate — Altmark): Thank you for this opportune moment to deliver what I believe will be a brief call upon committee. I want to address the declaration made in the name of The Hon Roger Lundberg regarding Supplementary Order Paper one hundred and seventy-nine, clauses two and six. Adding the amendments registered by the Hon Member; that is, making sure that the Allanean government agrees that by transacting formally and officially — to be archived by the World Assembly Office of the Nineteen Countries — with the Nineteen Countries Government, we will reserve the right to declare that we are completely neutral in any matters involving the capital or money transacted by the Allanean government or any future involvement of the Allanean government regarding any Othlon Corporation related matters.

I believe that Dr Parker’s standing call has well and truly hit the spot. We as a nation state in the past had actually done further than what was considered as acceptable or wise by the Founding Monarchs. We overextended ourselves and dwelled outside the economic box. We involved ourselves in foreign colonial, military, and power political ventures. We were once the almost colonised and subjugated, and yet grew to become almost just one and the same as those old world nation states who had once tried to colonise and make us economically subservient.

Neutrality is very important to us. This amendment will make sure that our foreign policy of diplomatic and military isolationism will not be thrown into doubt. We must maintain this message of Yohannesian isolationism and neutrality to the World Assembly and nation states of the international communities of regions. In this legislation, we will do just that. I hereby commend this Bill to the assembly.

Committee Chairman HSH ADELBERT VII: And the committee will do accordingly. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. Kazanski Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill. This Bill is now commended before Parliament and the Electoral College.

The session having expired, the motion lapsed.

---

[Allanea]

OOC: At the Yohannes player's request, I am posting a copy of the letter here.

IC:

(Image)

Given the recent success of our exports of various Kazansky Heavy Industries products, particularly the Hood class battleships, Kazansky Heavy Industries wishes to purchase the non-voting shares in Othlon Corporation in the High Treefolk, owned by Bank of Yohannes. We will pay 2.2 trillion dollars for this transaction, which we believe is profitable and beneficial to both parties.

[Yohannes]

---

Visitors Present — Free Kingdom of Allanea — Allanean Defense Exports, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Thursday, 7 September 2017 - Volume 951; Nation State Visitations — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Honourable Members, I would like to draw your attention and to welcome members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs from the Free Kingdom of Allanea, led by the chief delegate of the corporate body Allanean Defense Exports and the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek leave to table a petition received at Parliament and the Electoral College today calling for the inclusion of the Export Industry Credit Administration as one of body entities that may be included within this agreement.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Leave is sought to table that particular petition. Is there any objection?

There is none. It can be done.

Question time to commence — Questions to the Seventeenth Yohannesian Emperor; the Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries; and the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund: Agreement for Nation State Fund Transaction and Othlon Corporation Stock Transfer of the Owner Entity Bank of Yohannes with the Purchasing Entity Kazansky Heavy Industries.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Seventeenth Yohannesian Emperor

Kazansky Heavy Industries and Bank of Yohannes Agreement 2017 — Allanea -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Thursday, 7 September 2017 - Volume 951; Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


1. KAYLA FLETCHER (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Geoscience and Natural Resources; Green Party; Electorate of Weston) to the Seventeenth Yohannesian Emperor: Does she stand by all her Executive Council's policies?

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS (Yohannesian Emperor; President of the Electoral College; Christian Democratic Party – Christian Faction): Yes, I do, especially if we are talking about the Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Agreement. I want to note with sincerity that I would like to say thank you for the Greens' support to the Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Agreement related updates, because by this time around two years from now 125 million Yohannesian families will be, on average, better off by at least 60 NationStates Dollars per month; and a smaller number with higher household costs will be better off by at least 156 NationStates Dollars per month.

KAYLA FLETCHER: Why is her Executive Council's Allanea Agreement 2017 long-term investment strategy plan to distribute only one in six of that 2.2 trillion NationStates Dollars long-term investment into protecting the continent’s most threatened species by the year 2030 when she could protect them all with investing more into the environment?

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS: I cannot agree with the Member's generalisation of a policy that I understand is, even as we speak, still under discussion. However, I will say to the Member that we in the Christian Democratic Executive Council do welcome support from her party to realising our Threatened Species 2040 related schemes. The schemes will activate community engagement all around the continent, and raise public awareness as to the cause of international planetary warming; and it will also support public advertisements and campaigns with the aim to raising awareness as to how everyone can make a difference as good citizens of the nineteen countries by minimising pollution to the environment for threatened species around the continent of Yohannes. As detailed under the Allanea 2017 long-term investment strategy, 367 billion NSD will be committed for the next fourteen years to preserving Eco sanctuaries of the land and protecting 3,500 of the 7,000 — that is over half — threatened species around Yohannes the continent.

KAYLA FLETCHER: I seek leave to table the Minister of Agriculture and Resources Hon Magdalena Von und Zu Schönbein’s draft to the bill Threatened Species Outline 2020, where it shows clearly that her Executive Council is planning to protect only 1,900 of 7,000 threatened species around the continent of Yohannes.

Rt Hon SAUL RYAN (Speaker of Parliament; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Weirconsin): Leave is sought to table that particular draft. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is no objection.

[ Table that baby lady! Some members from the Yohannes First section heckled. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! I cannot hear anything. Was there any objection?

There was objection raised. It cannot be tabled.

KAYLA FLETCHER: Why is Natural Resources Management Solution tasked with only accepting thirty per cent of the highest graded applications from agricultural landowners, managers, and large and small farmers for the year 2017? How can one possibly, quote, aims to protect natural resources on private lands by encouraging responsible private and public resource management at the local and regional levels, unquote, if one only accepts one third of all such enterprising landowners?

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS: The Natural Resources management Solution has proven to be a very large investment according to the Budget 2016 strategic report of the Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Environment and Resource Management. As such, we have decided to reduce its scope this year, and for the next three years pending commission report. We have also concentrated our efforts into supporting those who meet the best compliance and Standards Yohannes requirement to ensure cost-effective empire-wide environment and resource management.

KAYLA FLETCHER: How is it possible that under her Christian Democratic Executive Council, the Eco Sanctuary Authority, Forest Yohannes, and related agencies have lost 16,152 front-line sanctuary land keepers, at least 400 facilities, and according to the tabled Forest Yohannes document this morning, over 240 information and public assistance centres?

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS: I fully disagree with the way the Member has framed that particular question. I find that question somewhat misleading. Forest Yohannes, just like any other Executive Council agencies and government authorities at the imperial level, has been forced to tighten its scope, restructure its organisation, and set freeze its finance because of our well-known predicament two years ago under the previous Social Democratic Executive Council. This Executive Council cannot possibly be blamed for simply trying to fix and undo some of the damage carried over from the previous Executive Council.

ANNA WIELINGA (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Animal and Plant Health Regulations; Green Party; Electorate of Nemencius): Then, is this Executive Council open to our Forest Eco Sanctuary Trust project, not dissimilar to the currently existing Von Und Zu Musäus Humanitarian Trust, which would be solely an environmentally focused cash reserve, invested in low-risk, short-term securities or instruments affiliated with partner institutions the Bank of Yohannes — with initial funding kick started from the Allanea Agreement 2017 long-term investment strategy?

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS: As I have said — we in the Christian Democratic Executive Council do welcome support from her party to realising ideal environmental protection in the nineteen countries. I want to say that there are other such trusts operating around the continent of Yohannes, though communally and on a much smaller scale. In some Royal Alexandria suburbs, for example, where there operate four such eco sanctuary and widlife heritage trusts, communally driven by residents of Bloomgren, Kelburn, and Söderström.

KAYLA FLETCHER: When she announced last week that she was “glad to see the realisation of this agreement” and see to it that more funding would be given to the, quote, exemplar, unquote, Ministry of Agriculture and Resources — specifically the ‘exemplar’ Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Environment and Resource Management; why then that after almost two years of a Christian Democratic Executive Council under her presidency, the Eco Sanctuary Authority and Forest Yohannes are not bringing veritable conservation well-being and environmental welfare as befitting their ‘exemplarity’?

[ THE BATTLE OF THE BABES! Two front-seated members from the Yohannes First section heckled. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! One more tomfoolery or, the Saint of Maxtopia forbid, Out of Order statement from that side of assembly and I shall see to it that that whole row be taken out in this session. There are two supplementary questions. The Emperor has the right to answer only one supplementary question.

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS: I fail to agree with that statement. In regard to the Member's question, the Minister of Agriculture and Resources has worked hard and has seen to it that the ministry under her charge has not only simply brought veritable conservation and well-being environmental protection for Yohannes the continent, but actually also formulated various long-term policies in coordination with governments of the nineteen countries at the national level.

Hon Members (Green): Such as?

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS: I am not very well acquainted with the record of the previous Social Democratic Executive Council in matters of the environment and resource management, but I can tell you that over one in six of that 2.2 trillion NationStates Dollars — that is 367 billion NSD — Allanea Agreement 2017 long-term investment will be committed for the next fourteen years to preserving Eco sanctuaries of the land and protecting 3,500 of the 7,000 — again, that is half — threatened species around Yohannes the continent.

KAYLA FLETCHER: Can she tell us, why just one day after the Chief Justice of the Peace recently gave her ruling of the illegality of Freya Irrigation Management and Technology Amendment Bill, then she said that the Executive Council under her presidency would, quote, draft a law so it will be constitutional, unquote.

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS: I want to take exception to what the Member is saying. She has taken my statement out of context. At the end of the day, the irrigation management and technology update would hopefully make even more drop of water count for more agriculturists and farmers in the nineteen countries. There was obviously a problem with its initial drafting result, and we are discussing with the Justices of the Peace as to making a good solution for welfare of the people within the framework of constitutionality.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Next Question to commence — Questions to the Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries: Agreement for Nation State Fund Transaction and Othlon Corporation Stock Transfer of the Owner Entity Bank of Yohannes with the Purchasing Entity Kazansky Heavy Industries.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries

Kazansky Heavy Industries and Bank of Yohannes Agreement 2017 — Allanea -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Thursday, 7 September 2017 - Volume 951; Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


2. Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN (Imperial Head of Opposition; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Clearingtonne) to the Chancellor: Does she stand by her statement, “our approach to savings is succeeding”, seeing that less than two in five Yohannesians under the age of thirty have contributed at least 15,000 NationStates Dollars per person to the ‘Futuresaver’ Central Provident Fund?

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN (Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries; Christian Democratic Party – Democratic Faction; Electorate of Altbrandenburg): Yes, although I would note that the member's figures include thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen-year old, et al., where substantial savings and part time or full time permanent working rates are not likely to be high. In fact, I do not know why the Member has chosen to use that data. But this Christian Democratic Executive Council's approach is working for Yohannesians — through increasing FutureSaver one-time opening government contribution to 1,350 NationStates Dollars and subsidising first home buyers through long term investment FutureSaver schemes funded by such initiatives as the Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Agreement and Equal Trade and Connecting of Economies 2017 — Arthropol Agreement.

Domestic initiatives include such things as the Education Standard Act and Parental Housing Act 2017, which would allow us to build 6.8 million new houses over the next eight years and reduce Universal Education Authority overextension and state and state-integrated school overcrowding by at least three per cent per year. Meanwhile, Budget Reform 2017’s Economic Growth and Income Tax Threshold strategy and reforms will make at least 125 million families better off by around 30 NSD per week, on average, by 11 June next year.

[ SHE’S JUST REPEATING WHAT EMILY THE ECONOMY WOMAN SAID! Some front-seated members from the Yohannes First section heckled. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! That Member has the right to refer back to previous answers for supporting materials or reference.

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: … and our Amendment Bill to the International Incidents and Foreign Nation States Neutrality Diplomacy Act 2016 will allow us to further isolate ourselves from international incidents or diplomatic crises, which are bad for business, industry, and the welfare of our people.

Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN: If she is succeeding, why has Central Provident Fund contribution and savings rate amongst Yohannesians fallen every quarter under this Christian Democratic Executive Council, for almost two years, according to the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Trade’s Office of Economic Analysis and Forecast?

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: This is a phenomenon affected by internationalisation, and can be seen around most developed nation states of multiple regions, actually.

[ YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Three front-seated members from the Social Democratic section heckled. ]

Contribution towards centrally managed comprehensive savings plans have fallen slowly across developed regions and all around developed nation states over the last thirty years — a trend made even stronger if that nation state’s economic model is that of the usual liberalised, free market variant, or the hitch-and-hop ‘mixed’ market variant. Ours is a social market variant, quite the same as some of our close trading partners, and whilst I cannot say that we have not been affected by this internationalised worrying trend of ‘spend now and save later’, however I can say that we have quite weathered the storm, though just, better than it could have been; and I want to thank the hardworking Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund the Hon Alice Schneider for her track record to delivering sound nation state economic management. I also must give credit where it’s due to the previous Social Democratic Executive Council, for in this field we have been able to more or less… go along for the ride, and not pick up the tab.

[ YOU MEAN YOU ARE JUST A POLICY BLUDGER? A member from the Social Democratic section heckled. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! I apologise for interrupting the Chancellor. A reasonable question has been asked by the Imperial Head of Opposition. I want to hear the answer, even if some of the Imperial Head of Opposition‘s fellow Members do not.

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: As answered by me to the Member’s first question, this Executive Council has committed 2.51 trillion NSD to fixing our domestic problems for the next eight years. Education, reducing school overcrowding by three per cent per year; housing, 6.8 million new houses; and infrastructure, national railways and roads of significance. Most importantly this Executive Council is committed to meeting these challenges in a fiscally sustainable manner. Unlike the tendency of previous Social Democratic Executive Councils to do otherwise.

Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN: Is it harder for struggling young families to apply for a supplementary Parental Leave and Benefit today?

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: At the end of the day, we can have two ways of looking at this — when his party left the previous Executive Council, the consolidated size of our foreign-exchange reserves and sovereign wealth funds were sixty-eight per cent lower than they were when his party predecessor first took office, in spite of stable surplus. So much for savings. In 2012, the ‘height of Social Democratic governance’, the Bank of Yohannes reported that general interest and first homebuyers’ mortgage rates were one and one half times of what they are today. So much for housing. Today, our problem is the fact that we are a declining nation state — diplomatically and especially, especially militarily — and we only have one last fail-safe protection, the signature name of our nation state: the economy. When his party first took office under the previous Executive Council, we were in a much better position than we are today. And what did they do?

Nothing.

Where was the housing crisis back then? Where was the savings crisis back then? Let me see, any other crisis? Schooling and hospital overcrowding, that’s right. Immigration, absolutely. His party can only complain and complain, without offering any solution. Who decided to irresponsibly expand Yohannesian military and power political ventures abroad, and be actively involved in international incidents in 2010 and 2011? His party. Who was lackadaisical and decided to fiddle around during the 2012 mini-financial crisis? His party. Who backtracked from restraining the excesses of VMK corporate bigwigs and banking magnates? His party. Who has to pick up the bill? Us. Today.

[ THIS IS RIDICULOUS! SHE DID NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION! Members from the Social Democratic section heckled, waving their arms about; and shaking their heads. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! I say: Order! A reasonable question has been asked by the Imperial Head of Opposition, and the Chancellor should stick to answer such question. I will have no more Members of this assembly interrupting whilst the Chancellor is speaking.

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: Things have always been tough. Some schools were overcrowded too during the previous Social Democratic Executive Council. And as I remember it, it was a Member of this party four years ago who decided to initiate the tabling of the Parental Leave and Support Amendment Bill. Of course, the Social Democrats voted against it. So much for prudential long-term oversight. This time, however, it seems Members on that side of assembly have been the wiser, deciding thankfully to have a go at actual bipartisan talking, allowing us to hopefully pass the Kazansky Heavy Industries Allanea Agreement 2017 by midnight. I know that the Member will be happy to hear that 59 billion NSD will be spent on Work and Parenting Income over the next eight years.

RONALD CHUMP (Social Democratic; Electorate - New Cleyra): Can the Chancellor explain whether it is easier or harder today, in comparison to 2010, for a Yohannesian to be eligible for Work and Parenting Income related subsidy or supplement over that of a permanent resident or an immigrant?

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: That Member never fails to surprise me.

Hon Members: HA HA HA

[ GO BACK TO NEW CLEYRA AND BUILD THAT BIG AND TALL CONCRETE WALL! Members all around the assembly; with the exception of Yohannes First, heckled; waving their arms about; and grinning left and right. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! There is no Chancellorship responsibility for another Executive Council's policies in the past.

Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN: If the Christian Democratic Executive Council is truly investing 59 billion NSD on Work and Parenting Income over the next eight years, why is there a lack of publicly available information of such update on the Ministry of Equality and Social Welfare website, particularly regarding the Work and Parenting Income supplement policy?

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: Well, we do not put Executive Council policy under development on ministerial websites — I feel that it is too pre-emptive like to do so what with the deal being jointly agreed upon by both Allanean and Yohannesian delegations last week. And to date, the Local Government Authorities…

[ OHHH! SURE, SURE, MRS CHANCELLOR; some members from the Social Democratic and Green sections heckled. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! I have warned Members of this assembly earlier, in that if a question has been asked I will have to hear the answer. And unless I can expect some assistance from Members to my left, I will be forced to remove someone from this assembly. Especially when we have visitors from Allanea watching the proceedings of this august parliament. I am not happy with the exercise of such, but the interjection and Out of Order tomfoolery of Members to my left is quite simply embarrassing and does not help the decorum of this assembly.

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: We are all sure that it has taken Local Government Authorities and governments at the national level a while to realise how far we as a nation state has declined since almost over the past decade — not just diplomatically and most certainly militarily, but worryingly also to an extent economically. But we are recovering, and in the last six months we were able to extend Work and Parental Income coverage to over 900,000 Yohannesians. This we did through prioritising our economy at home; shifting capital and resources previously used to fund overseas commercial, diplomatic and military activities and commitments; and gradually solidifying our neutrality policy in matters of international incidents and nation states power politics.

Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN: Can we agree that we expect an Executive Council having the willingness to earnestly intervene at the local, regional, and national levels of governance in matters of equality and social welfare, and thus ensuring the providence of equal opportunity for Yohannesians of all background and social standing?

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN: It is not just a matter of intervention, or providence; as a matter of fact, we have done just that. This Executive Council has announced such innovative policy updates as the FutureSaver one-time opening government contribution increase to 1,350 NationStates Dollars and subsidising first home buyers through long term investment FutureSaver schemes funded by such initiatives as the Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Agreement and Equal Trade and Connecting of Economies 2017 — Arthropol Agreement. As I have said, we have the funding in place to build 6.8 million new houses over the next eight years and reduce Universal Education Authority overextension and state and state-integrated school overcrowding by at least three per cent, every year, for the next eight years. Meanwhile, Budget Reform 2017’s Economic Growth and Income Tax Threshold strategy and reforms will make at least 125 million families better off by around 30 NSD per week, on average, by 11 June next year.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Next Question to commence — Questions to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund: Agreement for Nation State Fund Transaction and Othlon Corporation Stock Transfer of the Owner Entity Bank of Yohannes with the Purchasing Entity Kazansky Heavy Industries.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Weekly Adjournment — Subject to the Members of Assembly

Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Thursday, 7 September 2017 - Volume 951; Weekly Adjournment — Subject to the Members of Assembly.


Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Taking the Chair, concluding business of parliament — ten post meridiem.

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the room… ]

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: At the time parliament recommences, on Friday, 8 September, Executive Council will see to it General Assembly Voting on Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea; to be legislated as An Agreement for Nation State Fund Transaction and Othlon Corporation Stock Transfer of the Owner Entity Bank of Yohannes with the Purchasing Entity Kazansky Heavy Industries. Parliament will see to it and look to complete the last Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund, and General Assembly Voting — Subject to the General Assembly Legislation Act At Vote, in matters of Allanea the nation state, Kazansky Heavy Industries, the Nineteen Countries, and the Bank of Yohannes.

I would like to present the following as one of Tabled Papers before this assembly — [ World Assembly National and International Affairs — International Incidents Archive Paper — Allanea ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Leave is sought to table that particular petition. Is there any objection?

There is none. It can be done.

[ … The Rt Hon Speaker rose to his feet… ]

Honourable members, this week has certainly been a busy one. This Assembly has legislated two Domestic Acts, one Foreign Act, and two Foreign Agreements — whilst I have presided over thirty questions for oral answer, including at least five Resolution At Vote questions to the Emperor and two urgent questions to the Chancellor; though I do not have a percentage of how many were answered to the satisfaction of the questioner.

During this weekly Assembly, we have seen the visitations of delegations of Allanean Defense Exports and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Free Kingdom of Allanea, and I want to take this opportunity of thanking the Allanea government and chief delegate, on behalf of all Members of Electoral College and Parliament, for the professional and apolitical way their consideration and observation have been to us all. My personal thanks to His Majesty, Alexander Blaken-Kazansky, Emperor of Greater Prussia, King of Allanea and Reichskamphen, et al., for making the visitations of his government possible.

Tomorrow, Electoral College and Parliament will assemble for the last day in this week’s electoral debates session, where at least two urgent questions will be brought before the Minister and the Executive Council.

Honourable Members, I wish you all the good night that you deserve.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill: Second and Final Reading

Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Friday, 8 September 2017 - Volume 951; Second and Final Reading — Subject to the Members of Assembly.


Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN (Majority Leader Pro Tempore; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Halsten): I seek leave to consider all parts and clauses of the Kazanski Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill as one question.

Rt Hon SAUL RYAN (Speaker of Parliament; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Weirconsin): Leave for that purpose is sought. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. Kazanski Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill. Final reading. This Bill is now presented before the Assembly.

This Bill is now presented before the Assembly. Taking the Chair, Electoral College and Parliament — one post meridiem.

One part and two clauses put in writing. Second and final reading.

Hon ALICE SCHNEIDER (Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund; Christian Democratic - Democratic; Electorate — Altmark): Seid gegrüßt, Brüder und Schwester. Guten Tag. Hereby in representation of the Christian Democratic Executive Council shall I move, that the Kazanski Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill, be read for the second and final time. This bill realises our commitment to extending the policy of neutrality of the nineteen countries whilst seeking to increase our consolidated foreign exchange reserves and investment reach at the same time. From this Allanea transacting agreement and long-term investment strategy, the Christian Democratic Executive Council is investing 367 billion NationStates Dollars in capital and money over the next fourteen years to preserving Eco sanctuaries of the land and protecting 3,500 of 7,000 threatened species around Yohannes the continent.

A further 59 billion NSD will be spent on Work and Parenting Income over the next eight years, whilst at least 730 billion NSD will be invested to reduce Universal Education Authority overextension and state and state-integrated school overcrowding by at least three per cent, every year, over the next eight years. Finally, 800 billion NSD will be directed to the Executive Council’s ‘Futuresaver’ Central Provident Fund, and at least 541 billion NSD will be committed to increasing FutureSaver one-time opening government contribution to 1,350 NationStates Dollars and subsidising first home buyers through long term investment FutureSaver schemes.

This Bill, in-and-of-itself, showcases the very public demonstration of how social investment can be brought into reality — injecting capital and realising straightforward investment in struggling and vulnerable, but equally hardworking Yohannesians, so that they can continue their respective unique journeys to realising independent and strong lifestyle. We know that when young adults have inadequate financial skills, dissapointing schooling experiences, and a general lack of support to realising their inherent and true potentials, then they will not be contributing members of society. The principle behind this Bill believes in supporting them to realising greater success in life and to reaching their ambitions; and thus reduce long-term costs to the taxpayers of the nineteen countries.

Even as we speak, the Vocational Education Authority's Night Learning and Re-skill Programme is already showing its after effects; making a real difference in the lives of mature students and reskilling participants all around Yohannes the continent, each day, by helping them fight unfair age barriers so that they can reach their new goals and career pathways in life. By having access to this extended Re-Skilling programme, these enterprising and hard-working adults enjoy protective support from technical advisers, budgeting mentors, and other experts; in supporting their participation and realising their full engagement in education and on-the-ground apprenticeship or internship — allowing for their eventual contribution to the future tax coffer of this nation state by being employed in their chosen field. Young parents are also directed to a wraparound parenting programme to assist in their development of flexible work-parenting skills.

Hon Members of the Assembly, this is a truly remarkable Bill that allows for the adequate care and full support of these respected, hard-working members of society, so that they can acquire the intuition and skills they require to realise a second career change for themselves, and to assume or continue their good pathways in life. This Bill also elucidates two matters of nation state neutrality, in the Allanea Transacting Agreement, and ensures that there is a coherence between nation state neutrality policy and actual practice.

During the Select Committee Business — Subject to the Committee on Foreign Trade session, the Hon Roger Lundberg, representing the Social Democratic position, and the Nineteen Countries Trade Policy Forum together with the Trade Policy Imperial Committee have examined this Bill, and have recommended a number of improvements. I do want to highlight a couple of those.

The first was to add a requirement to make sure that our foreign policy of diplomatic and military isolationism will not be thrown into doubt. We must maintain this message of Yohannesian isolationism and neutrality to the World Assembly and nation states of the international communities of regions; first of all, by making sure that the Allanean government agrees that by transacting formally and officially — to be archived by the World Assembly Office of the Nineteen Countries — with the Nineteen Countries Government, we will reserve the right to declare that we are completely neutral in any matters involving the capital or money transacted by the Allanean government or any future involvement of the Allanean government regarding any Othlon Corporation related matters.

Another amendment to the Bill that I have chosen and contemplated on thoroughly is the innovative design, or application of Executive Council direction, to gauge which important risk-to-investment-benefit factors are to be used in determining the type and scope of Executive Council equality and social welfare programmes to be referred to the Ministry of the Treasury and Wealth Fund’s ‘Futuresaver’ Central Provident Fund, in future. This approach will allow for transparency in Ministry of Equality and Social Welfare decision making so that those leading individuals or authorities will know what data should be used in that investment benefit to risk modelling -- this design reinforces the principle of transparency so authorising individuals will know which information to consider, and which up-to-date data to include in their risk-to-investment-return modelling. I personally believe that this is a good precedent we can build on for future agreements. After that, this Bill was recommended before the Committee on Foreign Trade, and I am pleased to recommend it before you today.

Adding to that, I want to repeat this well-known fact: This Executive Council — we believe in supporting struggling but aspiring Yohannesians, particularly those who have the inherent potential but are deemed at risk without intervention at the imperial level. So we want to invest in them, at that important period when they are transforming into success stories; so that there are wraparound supports whilst they transition gradually. This is a 2.2 trillion NSD long-term initiative — over eight years, in fact; an investment that I personally know, based on anecdotal evidence, will help ensure struggling but aspiring Yohannesians are not trapped in a life cycle of less-than-optimum outcomes, both for themselves and for their families. The Christian Democratic Executive Council is confident that amending this legislation to its current reading is an important investment that will support Yohannesians to get better education; better safeguard their equality and general welfare; and allowing them to have a much better chance, then, of being employed and going on to live a full life, as both successful individuals and nation state taxpayers.

For at-risk young adults especially — the information we have do suggest that engaging them in tertiary education as soon as possible is a very important thing to do, and with the right type of assistance and ‘transition’ helping hand. It means, of course, that Yohannesian taxpayers too, will get better outcomes, if we are able to assist these at-risk young adults to get on to that better, sustainable life pathway.

I want to close this matter today by making public the commendable actions and sanctified duties of the 3,520 Equality and Social Welfare public and private agencies our various Local Government Authorities and Greater Regional Councils do contract with daily; and the around 38,000 vocational study coaches in our fair and bright nation state, who are doing their best, and working hard, everyday, to safeguard and transform the lives of thousands of vulnerable, at-risk young adults. I thoroughly look up to their expertise and capacity to bring change, at grassroots level, and do commend once again their commitment in bringing good relationships with struggling but aspiring individuals across the continent.

I hereby commend the Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill before this august assembly.

Hon ROGER LUNDBERG (Social Democratic; Electorate – Sörbylund): It is my honour to hereby address Hon Members of this assembly in support of the Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill. I congratulate the Hon Claudia Wintergreen and Hon Alice Schneider for their kind-hearted initiative — for our struggling but aspiring people — in bringing this Bill to its second and final reading today.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: A party vote shall be called into question: That the Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Bill be now read a second and final time. To assume and presented before this assembly: Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 — Allanea Amendment Act 2017.

Those who say Ayes:

[ AAYYYEEEE! All members from the Christian Democratic and Social Democratic sections collectively gave a loud and piercing cry; which was more than enough to form a voting majority. ]

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the room… ]

[ Results: 301 Ayes and 134 Noes [Parliament] — 61 Ayes and 39 Noes [Electoral College] ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Next week, Electoral College and Parliament will assemble as this week. Honourable Members, I wish you all the good weekend that you deserve.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Business Statement — Weekly Formation; Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Continental Security

International Trust and Body Corporate 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Monday, 11 September 2017 - Volume 951; Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN (Speaker of Parliament; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Weirconsin): Taking the Chair, introductory business of parliament — one post meridiem.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN (Majority Leader Pro Tempore; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Halsten): At the time parliament recommences on Monday, 11 September, Executive Council will see to it and look to complete the Parliamentary Oral Questions - Questions to the Minister of Continental Security and Parliamentary Debate - Subject to the Minister of Employment and Labour Reserves. On Tuesday, 12 September, parliament will see to it the progress on International Trust and Body Corporate Bill. Wednesday will be a members’ day. On Thursday afternoon parliament will sit under extended hours for the first reading of the Freight Shipping Amendment Bill. Its second and final reading will be delivered on Friday, 16 September.

I would like to present the following as one of Tabled Papers before this assembly — [ A legitimate and good trust. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Leave for that purpose is sought. Is there any objection? There appears to be none.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: I would like to present the following as one of Tabled Papers before this assembly — [ A devious and dishonest trust. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Leave for that purpose is sought. Is there any objection? Leave is sought to table that particular petition. Is there any objection?

There is none. It can be done.

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and shaking heads seen all around the room… ]

Question time to commence — Questions to the Minister of Continental Security: International Trust and Body Corporate 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD (Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Alslingen) to the Minister of Continental Security: Does she stand by all her Executive Council's policies?

Rt Hon WILHELMINA MALMBERG (Minister of Continental Security; Elected Collegian - 2nd Donata District): Yes, I do.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Would a more restrictive disclosure rules and regulations in our international trust administrative matters reduce the potential misuse of international trusts for flight capital, money laundering, and tax evasion in the nineteen countries?

Rt Hon WILHELMINA MALMBERG: That question is quite the theoretical one. I cannot possibly predict what would be the outcome of such a sudden change in policy. Because there are multiple... multiple factors behind flight capital, money laundering, and tax evasion, and a more restrictive disclosure rules and regulations, or the restriction of such regimes in places, would not necessarily reduce the number of incidents involving flight capital, money laundering, trust misuse, or tax evasion in the nineteen countries. But to allay the worries of the Member, I am pleased to say that Investigation Border Yohannes has recently contacted the International Trust Investigation Division of the World Assembly Trade Commission to oversee a review of our disclosure rules and regulations, and I am looking forward to hear the verdict of that international body.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Is the Minister actually saying here that we cannot realistically know whether a more restrictive disclosure rules and regulations would help prevent, or substantially reduce incidents of international trust misuses?

Rt Hon WILHEMINA MALMBERG: The Member may not agree with this somewhat surprising revelation — but yes, I am not a divine being capable of predicting future providence... or misfortune.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Let the Hon Members of this Assembly try to hear this once again, the Minister do claim to not, quote, realistically, unquote, know whether better transparency regime in financial administrative matters would result in better oversight and investigation by the Imperial Taxation Authority in combating the abuse or misuse of international trusts in the nineteen countries?

Rt Hon WILHELMINA MALMBERG: That is most certainly not the same question as the original question I was ordered to answer. In fact, the Member is twisting my answer to be an entirely different thing altogether. I cannot but wonder why.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Does the Minister truly believe that if we had better transparency regime in disclosure and related fiscal matters surrounding international trusts, corrupt elite officials of Ralkovia, one of the international community’s most wanted slavers, who come from a nation condemned in 2012 by the World Assembly Security Council Resolution #104; the overbearing High Emperor of The Scandinvans, who is a leading proponent of slavery and 'domestic inservitude'; and the corrupt Speaker of the House in Bigtopia would have been able to use Bank of Yohannes international trusts or affiliated shell body corporates to hide their criminal activities?

Rt Hon WILHELMINA MALMBERG: That question is a really good question that should be pointed at the subjects named by the Member in her question. I truly do look forward to seeing the Member try to ask such question to the Ralkovian Emperor. Or The Scandinvan High Emperor for that matter.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am not sure why the Minister thinks the question should be pointed at the...

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: I may have a problem with such a point of order due to the scope of such question, or questions, for that matter, which as the Member will fully know is against the rule of this assembly. I cannot also see where this would go, for it seems the Minister is fully intent in not answering the question, whilst the Member is fully intent in keep asking the same question. However, for transparency, I will allow the Member to ask her question one more time.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Thank you, Mr Speaker. If better transparency regime is here, in relation to international trusts practice in the nineteen countries, would corrupt elite officials of Ralkovia, some of the international community’s most infamous slavers, the bloody High Emperor of The Scandinvans, and the corrupt Speaker of the House in Bigtopia have been able to use Bank of Yohannes international trusts or affiliated shell body corporates to hide their criminal activities?

Rt Hon WILHELMINA MALMBERG: As I cannot see into the minds of these people who have set up their international trusts, and therefore do not know what their respective purposes are, I am unable to answer the question.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Does the Minister not believe that more disclosure information would greatly assist in the work of the Imperial Taxation Authority to assess whether an international trust is involved in criminality or matters of illegality, and thus assist in the work of the Christian Democratic Executive Council in ensuring no major financial incidents will taint the name of our nation state, in the eyes of the international community of nation states and regions? Great Nortend would laugh at us; Argentinstan would pity us; and the rising sun Greater Nifon would rejoice at our misfortune...

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! I advise the Member to conclude her question.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: ... Ralkovia smiling?

Rt Hon WILHELMIINA MALMBERG: I did hear a variation of the exact same question as the first oral questioning, second, and then third, and now I think it is just getting too obsessive compulsive, but to satisfy her curiosity I will remind the Member that the Imperial Taxation Authority is very satisfied that when taxation data is brought before the body, a whole length of registered pecuniary interests and notable individuals with equally notable activities are easily detected within, or by the body, and a protracted investigation can easily be started to ensure transparency in our nation state's financial services and banking reputation.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Will the Minister be open to coordinating joint administrative judicature actions with the Regional Courts of the Justices of the Peace, in further restricting the rules and regulations involving the definition of sham trust, in the nineteen countries?

Rt Hon WILHELMIINA MALMBERG: If the intention of the sham trust is to deceive and to show false pretence before the court, then yes. I agree. I want to note I agree with the Member in that a restriction amendment regarding such matter will be needed as a way to ease burden of proof before the court. I also want to remind the Member that that is what this Executive Council is intending to do this week. At present, it is still quite difficult to prove whether a trust is a sham trust or not, as the test of intention is still within the subjective boundary. I will try to see how the Justices of the Peace can possibly remedy, or mitigate this problem.

ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Will the Minister be willing to invite the World Assembly technocrat, the internationally acclaimed author of the best-selling book 'Slavers Strike it Rich - The International Trust Gold Mine', Maximilian Barry of Maxtopia, to look at the use of international trusts and shell body corporates in the nineteen countries; and look through the possibility that such entities are used as vehicles for international money laundering and morally bankrupt tax evasion operation -- especially if we take into account the fact that they have all been used by the Bigtopian corrupt Speaker of the House to dodge tax and facilitate corruption?

Rt Hon WILHELMIINA MALMBERG: [ … The Minister shook her head ]

[ … The Minister glanced at her watch. ]

I see no reason to do so, particularly given that the issue of look-through mergers and shell body corporates commonly known, yes, commonly, as ways to avoid the law we have looked at thoroughly and fixed accordingly last year.

Hon ISABELLA HONIGSWALD: Why is she not open to inviting that internationally-acclaimed and World Assembly endorsed author, not to mention money laundering expert, given that mum and dad Yohannesian investors and hard workers deserve to know that the Christian Democratic Executive Council is going to see and meet justice, not just when that justice is only justified in the interests of the profitable international trust industry and its equally deep-moneyed lobbyists; especially foreign clients or partners of the Bank of Yohannes?

Rt Hon Wilhelmina Malmberg: I propose that the Member check my answer to her previous supplementary question. You are welcome.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade

Economic Growth and Budget Reform 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Monday, 11 September 2017 - Volume 951; Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.


Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Question time to commence — Questions to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade: Economic Growth and Budget Reform 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues.

2. NILS ALMQVIST (Christian Democratic Party — Democratic Faction; Electorate of Marieland) to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade: What commission report has she collected on the short-term view, or situation surrounding the economy of the nineteen countries, during this year’s Budget Reform 2017?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER (Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Bremstadt): The economic situation surrounding Budget Reform 2017 has been somewhat positive. As one example, although according to the Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Chemistry, Material Development, and Technology the chemical development and material engineering sectors are struggling, the nineteen countries collectively has just a wee bit increased its economic diversification since 2013, and total exports increased by almost 160 billion NSD last year despite the fact that both VMK Defence & Steel Works’ civilian and military export decreased by 240 billion NSD. The labour market is comparably strong, with over 10.6 million new jobs in the last two years, and the average wage annualised rose 4.1 percent over the two last years to 58,300 NSD. These attributes are amongst the well-known signs of a good and sustainable economic growth, in turn allowing this Executive Council to realistically manage its finances.

NILS ALMQVIST: How will Budget Reform 2017 show the Christian Democratic Executive Council’s continuing dedication to sustainable economic supervision and fiscal management?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: I feel that the Member’s question is best directed at the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund. But the Member will have to wait for just a wee bit until Budget Reform 2017’s after effects’ analysis and report by the commission has been released. This Assembly can expect this Executive Council to continue to build on the significant progress so far: a 120 billion NSD deficit in May two years ago – when this Executive Council first took office – was turned into an overall small surplus by the end of that same year; and we are still running full at full speed to at least preserve and to grow that surplus. The Member will be glad to know that this Executive Council also want to focus on reducing nation state debt to thirty per cent of GDP by 2025.

Let’s do this.

NILS ALMQVIST: What steps have the Executive Council and her ministry taken during Budget Reform 2017 to repay debt?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: The computed new spending allowances we set out two years back for 2015, 2016, and finally 2017 have been reformulated. A collective portion of spending — in matters of army and navy administration — previously maintained for Budget Reform 2017 has been brought forward, and another portion of spending — in matters of nuclear weapons and warfare — previously maintained for Budget Reform 2017 has been used instead to reduce debt. These updates applied to the allowances will reduce spending by around 170 billion NSD over the next three years, turning into reality our realistic goal to reduce debt, and thus meeting this Executive Council’s debt target by 2025.

Rt Hon LOSETON PETRES (Yohannes First; Collegian Elector — First Burmecian District): When she said this morning in front of the press that, quote, supplementary capital for more investment are — some of them, anyway — obviously received from reorganising this Executive Council’s big balance sheet, unquote. Does she stand by her statement?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: I was saying that, in the case where there are capital and money I believe are best left to private hand, or are not best left administered by public hand, or assets that would obviously be better managed by private…

PAULINE LE MEN (Yohannes First; Electorate of Pan-de-Tallinn): Like a Local Government Authority Shelter House. Right, Emily?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: … Yes, including local government shelter houses — and instruments of trade and finance, complex state owned enterprises best managed privately, the electricity, water and waste management… this Executive Council is more than ready to release capital from bloating sectors and redistributing them where they will make a difference for hard-working Yohannesians.

Rt Hon LOSETON PETRES: In light of that answer, can the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade allay the worries of mum and dad Yohannesians that her Executive Council will not be selling off any more local government shelter houses?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: No — actually, probably the opposite is what this Executive Council will do, because this Executive Council do not believe the presence of hundreds, and thousands, of property located not where they should be is a good way for the World Assembly to look at us -- look, how irresponsible are we in managing taxpayer's money? We do not want that reputation. We also want to meet the demand where they are needed by the —

[ YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! some front-seated members from the Green section heckled. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order!

[ HOW CAN SHE ACTUALLY MAKE THAT STUFF UP! HOW CAN SHE ACTUALLY MAKE THAT STUFF UP! Loseton Petres led a chorus from the Yohannes First section. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! Mr Petres, a little ‘shutout’ is acceptable, but when it is done in such a barrage-like manner, it will not be in my view. I cannot accept seeing a very senior Member of this assembly disrupting its proceedings.

NILS ALMQVIST: How do these updates in the allowances of Budget Reform 2017 affect the Christian Democratic Executive Council’s priority to limiting the burden of taxation with representation?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: Our focus has not changed. The goalpost to lower the taxation of individual income remains one of our highest priorities — though not as high as administering changes upon the quangos and overseeing the expansion of infrastructure of this realm. As I have said on Tuesday, 5 September, these income tax brackets and threshold changes have allowed significant local and regional government structural improvements and allowed us to reduce burdens placed upon hard-working low and middle income earners. All we do whilst the economy is continuing to deliver the moderate but sustainable growth we need to sustain the money everyone received for their hard work or through their investment, in this realm.

This we cannot promise, however. As the Member will know that burden of taxation with representation is highly dependent upon fiscal and economic conditions — if fiscal situation remains tight, we unfortunately cannot reduce taxation but if, however, the economic situation do support a freer fiscal situation, then we will lower the burden of taxation accordingly. The provision of such is therefore highly dependent on the performance delivered by this realm’s economy. Let us pray to to Mary, the mother of God for that. Or the Saint Maxtopia if God forbid.

Rt Hon LOSETON PETRES: Is she disturbed that the economy of the nineteen countries is prejudiced towards speculation in the fields of financial services and banking, material engineering, and especially of concern to hard-working mum and dad future first home buyers — commercial and residential property, given that according to the Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Economic Affairs’ Economic and Demographics Statistics Yohannes, the value of this realm’s housing stock is, at present, 20.838 trillion NationStates Dollars — that is, one point three times the gross domestic product of this realm; and three and one half times the total value of this realm’s primary stock market?

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER: I am not, actually. The Bank of Yohannes currently has good checks in places and a collection of in-built mechanisms available to ensure financial stability, as it is compelled by the Yohannesische Bundesbank. As such, we have quite the conservative banking and major financial capital requirements. We also use ratio of loan to value of assets purchased to evaluate and to restrict demand for borrowing for subsequent commercial or residential property — thus limiting excessive buying for investment purpose and not for occupation or family business and lifestyle purpose. This in view of our leaning towards a social market economy and micro, small and medium sized enterprises.

I am confident that we have a solid system to ensuring stability of commercial and residential property market, especially if some concerned micro, small and medium sized business owners are getting squeezed out of the market or some young mum and dad families are concerned that they are buying at the wrong time, they will be protected by the Bank of Yohannes.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: The session having expired, the motion lapsed.

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the chamber… ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Next session to commence, four post meridiem: Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Minister of Employment and Labour Reserves.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Minister of Employment and Labour Reserves

Customary Debate 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Monday, 11 September 2017 - Volume 951; Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



Hon NIKOLAUS SCHICKENDANTZ (Minister of Employment and Labour Reserves; Christian Democratic Party – Democratic Faction; Electorate of Spreitensingen): I hereby move, that parliament take note of domestic, nation state issues. This week is, of course, the week of Budget Reform 2017^{[Note 1]}. By this weekend, Alice Schneider will have brought her third Budget, and it will be an excellent Budget indeed. By Monday next week, she will have reached the same total number of Budgets as the Imperial Head of Opposition has pets.

As a way to celebrate this momentous day, before this assembly, and in honour of Budget Reform 2017, I have decided to make up a budget of my own. No, not a budget of my own. It is something that completely mirrors the legendary Opposition Budget 2017 of the Opposing Forces. This legendary budget has been paraded before the press for quite some time now, I do say for almost two months now. So I thought I should summarise it and make it intelligible for the hard-working but pressed-for-time commoners to understand. Behold, Opposition Budget 2017.

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the room… ]

Let us start the narrative. The spoken or written account has to be good, and consistent. Or not. There has been a crisis looming on the horizon. This crisis, a crisis for the Opposing Forces since we have been in office. Let us see. Schooling overcrowding crisis. Check. Lack of export diversification crisis. Check. Metropolises overcrowding crisis. check. Greater Halsten housing crisis. Check. International trust for money laundering crisis. Check. Infrastructure crisis. Check. Too many immigrants. Check. Too many emigrants? Check. Contradictory, I know. Check. What I have said are the crises said at one time or another by the Social Democratic Party and their new temporary marriage of convenience partner Yohannes First. They have also been questing to solve these crises in their own version of nation state budget.

The Social Democratic Party will also need to hire some new accountants though. If they can afford it, some new statisticians also. Because those Members sitting over there are either not very good at maths, or they are good at lying. For instance, on Thursday Jeremy Robyn flat out said that, quote, less than two in five Yohannesians under the age of thirty have contributed at least 15,000 NationStates Dollars per person to the ‘Futuresaver’ Central Provident Fund, unquote — well, sadly he was wrong. Beep. If you look at Central Provident Fund’s share of under-thirty’s savings, it has been higher under this Executive Council than it was under his predecessor’s previous Social Democratic Executive Council. Then, of course, in his latest remark before the press today, the Social Democrats are talking about illegal international trust and body corporate. He is suggesting that incidents of money laundering and tax evasion are rising under this Executive Council. Well, here is a spellbinding statistic: according to Economic and Demographics Statistics Yohannes last week, incidents of money laundering in the nineteen countries have actually dropped slightly over the last three years. So that is rather saddening, for him. But that is okay; more pressing nation state issues they can touch on.

When a group of students apply to become members of the Young Social Democrats, they must take note: they cannot be maths graduates or future accountants, because the Social Democratic Party are bad at statistics. One day they will go and mention the word ‘tax’. Tax, that is an in-depth subject. Surely if they have mentioned it they must have something good, logical, and of course consistent to say? After all, almost three years ago when Jeremy Robyn became Imperial Head of Opposition he took universal student loan off the table. He referenced “party polling” and “baby boomer’s opposition” as the reason universal student loan was off the table. So much for interest-free student loan and universal weekly allowance. And then Deputy Leader Roeltsje Veldman said “There are still some policies we can take with us [...] and that includes Universal Student Loan and Allowance [...] we will keep it.” Well, obviously Dear Leader had forgotten to tell him about something.

That is not fair though. One mistake does not make for a generalisation. Mud don’t stick that easily. Concrete don’t become solid that fast. Well we have micro, small and medium sized business tax then. On Tuesday Veldman said the Social Democratic Party has within its agenda the increasing of taxation before the 2018 election for the Office of Emperor and Office of Chancellor. We need it to help realise our budget. Veldman said. The next day, when pundit and political observers asked what his tax policy was and how high an increase it would be; I forgot where it was, I think it was on The Nation State — Current Affairs: Jeremy Robyn said “we will make sure it will not reach 27 cents in the NationStates Dollar.” He said that. Well then this morning Mr Speaker Saul Ryan and I were on Breakfast facing the charming Doll Henry and then he said “We have not decided what is the ideal tax [...] number”, and smiled. Good, logical, and of course, consistent. As consistent as what Ronald Chump said on Thursday, 7 September, about the “Work and Parenting Income related subsidy or supplement over that of a permanent resident or an immigrant issue”, but then revealed that he had recently hired three hundred workers from some third world nation state for his construction company.

Hey, it’s alright man. We don’t know what our taxation position is, but we have the magic budget ready for you guys anyway.

Well, how about nation state spending, then? Surely this last one must be solid? See, it is rather compelling, because note that I am very busy, and I have not the time to go through previous media speeches and official statements made by Members of other political parties. So because I am lazy, I have just decided to randomly pick two or three of Dear Leader’s official speeches and those of Loseton Petres’ Yohannes First. Let’s see. This nation state needs 40 billion NSD for the Imperial Police and Ministry of Justice and Public Security. Well done, Sir. This nation state needs two hundred days of non-maternity, additional paid parental leave; nothing less than that I say. Business productivity must also stay. Okay. For Loseton Petres’ party, no less than 80 billion NSD for optimal distance, eco-friendly, next-generation high-speed rail running through Royal Alexandria, Greater Halsten, and Royal Burmecia. Radically superb. Next-generation high-speed rail built in less than two years. From the beach of the Kingdom of Alexandria, to the raining heart of the Kingdom of Burmecia, and finally to the opposite side of the continent; at the border of the Regency of Lindblum. Realistic.

As cherry on top of the thick, creamy chocolate cake for taxpayers, there is the hospital upgrade and health budget too. Hospital upgrade, yes. All around the continent. Dear Deputy Leader Veldman said that “this nation state needs 48 billion NSD”, nothing less is good enough, whilst according to his buddies over at the Association of Socialist Unions for a Better Yohannes, the nation state needs nothing less than 56 billion NSD. So which one is it?

Then matters of the environment and resource management. Not wanting to be beaten to the goalpost by the more cooperative Green Party, Loseton Petres wants “more money in environment and resource management.” But he did not say how much. He also wanted to restore the Royal Alexandria City Centre Cathedral. Okay, wow. And to conclude the parade, Chancellor Annabelle Thorndon-Stevensonn has been forced to stop the restructuring of many local government authorities’ Shelter House Administration. Because the Opposing Forces voted against it. And so we arrive at another billion here, billion there, and billion NSD more. Then the ‘expansion’ of our currently announced FutureSaver programme, more of the same; billions and billions of NationStates Dollars.

We want more. Some more money. Please. It’s raining NSD. You are welcome.

So the university students and future accountants and statisticians; the future Young Social Democrats; mum and dad first home buyers; enterprising micro, small and medium sized business owners; and of course us over here at the Beehive, know what a Social Democratic budget is: Tax till you dry, spend heaps of raining NSD, and make sure the nation state become a third-world make-believe utopia.

And that is why this week this Christian Democratic Executive Council — that is why tomorrow we can deliver our third Budget.

Not them.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Next to stand. Social Democratic Party Budget Reform 2017 Response.

Note 1: A Budget Week is the week where the Executive Council of the nineteen countries in the continent of Yohannes formally announces its policies in nation state economic and fiscal matters, such as how it plans to adjust its foreign exchange reserves, spend public money, reorganise the treasury, et al.

In accordance with the third introductory principle of The Will of Parliament and the fifth introductory principle of the Responsibility of an Imperial Ministry, the Imperial Parliament, supervised by the Electoral College, must approve the Executive Council’s budget (or budget reform, in a year where substantial changes are brought before the budget, in comparison to the previous year’s budget).

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Subject to the Social Democratic Party

Customary Debate 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Monday, 11 September 2017 - Volume 951; Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



HANNA EICHMANN (Agriculture and Resources Spokeswoman; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Münchenmôtier): This parliament have had almost three years of Mr Schikendantz and his friends speaking to their fawning and self-congratulatory Christian Democratic backbenchers rather than to the nation state and its people. For almost three years we have seen their self-satisfied howling and smug screeching bouncing off the mirrors of this chamber, rather than talking about how his Christian Democratic Executive Council is preparing to lay the groundwork for fixing some of the biggest problems this nation state has ever faced. Seeing as the Christian Democratic Emperor herself spoke with just that same exact manner to defend her Executive Council’s policies, in her response to Ms Fletcher during parliamentary oral questioning on Thursday, 7 September, let us talk a little bit about the population of the nineteen countries.

I was born in the year 1969. Back then, the population of the nineteen countries was just reaching the 243 million number. As we stand in this chamber today, there are just over 379 million people in Yohannes the continent. That is to say: our population has increased over half since then. When I die, and hopefully it is not anytime soon, the population of the nineteen countries will more or less double its number in its present condition. But whilst population has doubled, environmental conservation efficiency and management technology have not. Expressed in a different way, we have doubled our population but not the capacity to limit pollution or environmental damage. As a result, the environment and nature have been damaged thoroughly all around the continent.

Forests, groundwater reserves, and rivers; our seas and our sanctuary areas, have all been intensively used and expended as if there is no tomorrow. Wastes dumped into the southern Yohannesian ocean; water and waste management left more or less untouched since ten years ago; VMK chemical engineering wastes sealed using technologies not updated since five years ago; metropolises ever expanding, gradually and slowly but surely, into the open grass, polluting rivers and estuaries wherever their outer suburb boundaries do go to; and finally ever larger agricultural landowning enterprises and farming properties absorbing fresh natural water after fresh natural water without adequately replenishing them or protecting the nearby animals and plants depended upon nature — pump and dump. Take and leave as you go. Protect only when asked. Modernise conservation technology only when, or if the World Assembly Forest Commission inspectors do knock on you door. Unlimited economic growth unleashed.

This year once again we have the same old Executive Council that carries on moving as if the same old nineteenth century growth theory is still the centrepiece of the book of nation state governance. It is not. It stopped being the centrepiece seventeen years ago. Eco-friendly and sustainable, community focused social welfare is the centrepiece of this century’s governance. For almost three years now this Assembly has seen a Christian Democratic Executive Council that has propelled capital, industry, and money forward without turning back to wait for others struggling behind to follow — climate change and the environment, the birds, the lakes, and the rivers; ‘struggling but hardworking Yohannesians’, code word for beneficiaries of nation state income supplement programmes; and of course the older working class of deep Münchenmôtier and other old industrial districts. They have all been left behind whilst the names ‘prosperity and stability’, ‘let’s do this’, and ‘for a brighter future for Yohannesians’ were advertised all around this nation state and its people, for almost three years, under the guise of ‘Budget Reform’ insert year here and meaningless gimmicks such as ‘growth’ and ‘surpluses’.

If they cannot save the jobs of the old Münchenmôtier ‘income supplement beneficiary’ industrial working class, then the least that they can do is to try to save the environment — our local lakes and rivers, our beautiful sanctuaries where you can hear the sound of children laughing, and owls hooting — and stop climate change for our future generations. But they have not. For almost three years now we have had a Christian Democratic Executive Council that would rather bail out the big chemical engineering researchers, material development financiers, shipbuilding contractors, and dodgy international trust bank dealers rather than making sure future generations won’t have to experience catastrophic flooding, severe storms, and rising sea level.

Next week, Mr Schikendantz and his fawning backbencher friends will congratulate the Treasury Minister Ms Schneider for ‘a brighter future’ because of her ‘budget reform’ and manufactured ‘trillion surpluses.’ They don’t know that it will be their last budget, though there will still be the usual black forest cakes and red wines, as they fawn over one another and congratulate themselves for the number of headline grabbing articles and news materials filled up with big, meaningless words like ‘Budget Reform 2017’ and ‘Growing surpluses’ and ‘Industrial expansion.’ I am talking about an Executive Council that has not just starved the environment and natural resources of adequate funding support, but also an Executive Council that in fact covertly undermined these very quintessential Yohannesian values.

Yes, I mean it’s active participation in funding and officially supporting the Imperial Agricultural Expansion Advisory Board through the ever-expanding Commodity Credit Corporation, Imperial Agricultural Insurance Company, and Non-insured Assistance Programme for seemingly limitless dairying and farming property development and expansion projects all around the heartland countries of Burmecia, Dali, and Treno — leading to the current situation where over one-third of Yohannesian rivers cannot be used for swimming by our children. To cover up these gaping holes in their ‘Budget Reform’, Emily the economy woman will include something like ‘urban cleanup operation’ and ‘river clean up’ or ‘proposed sanctuary expansion’ but not billions, but millions attached next to them. And at the same time, somewhere out there in Evil Forest of Alexandria or Gizamaluke Grotto bordering Burmecia, land keepers and rangers of the Eco Sanctuary Authority and Forest Yohannes are gone missing, as both agencies of the Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Environment and Resource Management have been starved of funding for almost three years now.

In every year of the Christian Democratic Executive Council’s tenure, government funding at the imperial level for various agencies of the Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Environment and Resource Management, according to the World Assembly Endangered Species Protection Committee and International Bureau of Water Safety have collectively been, on average, 4.7 billion NationStates Dollars lower than they should be as recorded under the last Social Democratic Executive Council’s Budgets. That is 27.2 billion NSD that Eco Sanctuary Authority or Forest Yohannes has had to do without for almost the last three years. As a result, at least 3,851 species have had their threatened status increased towards endangered over the last three years of this Executive Council’s tenure. Forest Yohannes huts and bridges and Eco Sanctuary Authority tracks are falling apart. Because of that I have no doubt that in Emily the economy woman and Alice the surplus lady’s Budget Reform there will be another trinket and toy manufactured to give the semblance that this Christian Democratic Executive Council is ‘working hard for Yohannesians’, but in the near future our threatened species will be just as at risk of being threatened, endangered, and finally extinction, as Mr Schikendantz and his fawning backbencher friends sip their red wines and eat their black forest cakes.

When I say that his Christian Democratic Executive Council is an Executive Council that let climate change do go past by and see its management as nothing but expensive plaything, I am saying that according to the World Assembly Scientific Programme Yohannes the continent’s net carbon, and greenhouse gas, emissions have increased, by an estimated sixteen per cent under this Christian Democratic Executive Council. Each year we have seen and watched with horror the increasing number of international stories of natural disasters such as ever increasing floods, record storms, and raging forest fires — to go along with news of man-made disasters such as acts of terrorism. Man-made disasters we should be able to avoid, but natural disasters — The 2012 storm, one of the most damaging of the last forty-five years, left 1.2 million Royal Burmecian houses without adequate clean water and electricity coverage; and not to mention 1.53 billion NSD in insurance compensation. The same year’s raging forest fires wiped an estimated 10 billion NSD off our economy. In 2015 there were several severe flooding in the Grand Duchy of Dali and in the City State of Crescent.

This year the Council on Environmental Quality have surveyed no less than 300,000 commercial and residential properties deemed at risk from rising sea level over the next few decades. After almost three years of “Let’s do this” coming from the mouth of Emily the economy woman, we have browning water colour quality, increasing number of threatened species all around the nineteen countries, and more net carbon and greenhouse emissions in Yohannes the continent.

We can do better than that. Let’s make Yohannes great again.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Next to commence. Inter-Party Budget Reform 2017 Debate.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Debate — Customary Debate: Inter-Party Budget Reform 2017

Customary Debate 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Monday, 11 September 2017 - Volume 951; Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



Hon MAGDALENA VON UND ZU SCHÖNBEIN (Minister of Agriculture and Resources; Christian Democratic Party — Christian Faction; Electorate of Köln): To entertain the Members of this Assembly watching her performance, Ms Hanna Eichmann was really good at it. If I can summarise what she was saying, it would be like this: The nineteen countries can be much better if not for the too many immigrants coming here to build this great place; if not for the new micro, small, and medium business owners and entrepreneurs investing in our land; and if not for the — God forbid them: I hate immigrants, I hate businesses, I hate anyone who do —

[ DON’T AGREE WITH EMILY THE ECONOMY WOMAN! Three front-seated members from the Yohannes First section heckled. ]

Hon MAGDALENA VON UND ZU SCHÖNBEIN: Don't agree with her sound economic supervision and Minister Schneider’s sound fiscal management. Banish them all —

Rt Hon LOSETON PETRES (Yohannes First Party; Collegian Elector — First Burmecian District): And the threatened animals.

Hon MAGDALENA VON UND ZU SCHÖNBEIN: And banish the threatened animals — no, the Social Democrats like animals and the environment. What we have seen, of course, from Members of that party is that it is very easy to just talk up the awe-inspiring words of sentiment and grand declaration of governmental neglect, and then not having to actually put one’s hand where one’s mouth is, do the dirty work and actually do the job of running the nation state. As I say, it is all just rubbish.

This year, and the year before, and the year before that, what we have seen from this Executive Council is a performance of sound fiscal management and pragmatic nation state policy formulation. According to Statistics Yohannes, middle Yohannesians are set to achieve greater height than ever before in the history of this nation state’s Executive Council nation-building. Wages and salaries are set to rise higher to keep up with inflation. And as we can see this week, 16,301 houses will be built every week, for the next eight years, in the Greater Halsten metropolitan super electorate alone. In the capital city of the Regency of Lindblum alone, there will be 2,328 houses built every day, for the next eight years. There will be 1,270 Local Government Authority shelter houses built and being made available every week, for the next eight years, in the capital city of Lindblum. And to accompany these impressive achievements, there will be 10,720 nation state accommodation tenants receiving these shelter houses, to call their own homes. That is just one metropolis in one country. I know. There have been upsetting changes; some cuts here, a little bit there, and fund redistribution once a while. And people have the right to be upset when sound fiscal management and excellent economic supervision do result in escalation of market prices and seemingly ever increasing property demand. But with the right price, at the right time, in the right place, and for the hard-working members of society, the sky is the limit.

I know. Because of our booming economy, economic growth, and innovative approach to nation state governing, there have been upsetting readjustments here and there. Increasing rents. A more restrictive accommodation tenancy environment. I have seen the Opposing Forces and their impassioned speech about how terrible life can be for struggling but equally hardworking and aspirational Yohannesians today, under this current Executive Council, and that first time mum and dad home buyers who just want to start their own family lives — although even as we speak more than thirteen per cent of these hardworking, aspirational Yohannesians new market entrants have purchased their own businesses or homes thanks to the sound fiscal leadership of this Executive Council. To give some concrete numbers, in respect of those who are subjected to market rent prices and are currently look to buy their first homes, over the last four months alone, 972,000 former nation state housing^{[Note 1]} families have been able to buy their first homes through our ‘FutureSaver’ Central Provident Fund schemes. Hon Members of this august parliament, that is quite simply. Brilliant. That is a figure of 972,000 previously dependent families that have impressively turned around their lives and achieved one of life’s milestones.

I know. Just last month this Executive Council announced a 33.7 billion NSD stopgap measure to cool down the housing market with respect to nation state tenants. This is because this Executive Council do care about those who are struggling — despite what the Members sitting opposite would like for spectators to believe — and those who are in need of a leg-up; and so we intervened and say to those building contractors and construction sub contractors that: “Hey, look there. We can’t have you closing your business to these government housing projects. Here, we have got some funding for you so you can build affordable houses for struggling but hard-working aspirational Yohannesians.” And ‘Emily the economy woman’, as some Members opposite would like to call the Hon Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade — and I myself, we have also announced the distribution of supplementary housing grants to aid those who have to otherwise struggle to borrow very heavily from the banks and merchant associations. Because we know that that is just not right. As things are not always bright and rainbow over this side of Assembly, however, I must sadly announce that that programme won’t be there till January next year because of the need to update our ministerial computer system. But, what we can announce today is that starting from next month this Executive Council can and will kick-start this programme and will attempt to do so manually, which will be a pain, but we will do so for the collective interest of hard-working, struggling Yohannesians out there.

And I know. Yes, this will be the last. Moving people from metropolises such as Greater Halsten, or Royal Alexandria. It can be hard sometimes. But the fact is that we have got quite a lot of people who have said: “Hey, I want to move out. Prices around here are just getting too much for me and my family — so I want to move out and live in other parts of this continent.” They are making these decisions themselves, not forced, but by themselves, out of their own initiatives, to create new and better lives in many of our prospering smaller towns and cities, all around the nineteen countries, such as —

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER (Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Bremstadt): Münchenmôtier.

Hon MAGDALENA VON UND ZU SCHÖNBEIN: — such as Münchenmôtier, says ‘Emily the economy woman’, as the Members on that side of the chamber would like to call her; to Ms Hanna Eichmann of course that is not true — and understandably Hanna the insufferable environment woman do know it all. After all that Member is a newly elected Member of Münchenmôtier. There are many people out there in our many nation state houses who have the aspiration to move out and create a better life for them and their family. That I am sure Ms Eichmann will agree. And so because of that this Executive Council has announced today the availability of a new Central Provident Fund housing grant, worth up to 7,100 NSD, for these struggling but hard-working families; to assist in their quests to move out of big smokes all around the continent, into less populated heartland provinces. Of course, some of these people are retirees and so we will be adding the number to their FutureSaver superannuation scheme, in accordance with Central Provident Fund.

In closing, to Dear Leader, dear Deputy Leader, and Dear Members of the Social Democratic Party, I want to remind you all that the universe does not stop at the super electorate of Greater Halsten. And thus the Regency of Lindblum. I am sure our dedicated Emperor Garnet Til Alexandros would not like that one bit, at all. We have got a wonderful nation state, and we are opening up these wonderful opportunities for all people — we make options available for them to choose. Not force. Choose. That is the difference between us and the Social Democrats. And then Dear Leader might ask ‘where’. A quick Economic and Demographics Statistics Yohannes website browsing will tell Dear Leader that in most of Cleyra’s towns and villages there are over 77,000 houses available to rent. Assuming any sensible person can get accommodation supplement assistance of up to 152 NSD per week, that is actually pretty good, and make the whole process within reach and affordable for those who are otherwise struggling. And of course we can do more, but this Christian Democratic Executive Council is a good economic manager and a fiscally responsible Executive Council, and so we will stop here for now.

ROELTSJE VELDMAN (Deputy Head of Opposition; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Sortgrunn): There you go. The Christian Democratic Executive Council has announced that it has given up. It cannot solve the housing crises happening all around the metropolises and super electorates of our land. They have chosen, giving up in realising the Yohannesian dream. So instead what do they do? They said: “Here we give you seven grand and a hundred bucks and you can get out.” Okay. Well surprise surprise, Magdalena: those seven grand and a hundred bucks won’t do much when those places have people all around the continent waiting to buy too.” So here it is: the Christian Democratic Executive Council surrendering to market forces and letting ‘God’s Will do the work.’ Well then I guess either God is out of touch with Yohannesians’ plight, or she is — so, which one is it, people?

This morning I said to myself that: ‘Hey, maybe these people living on planet ALEXANDROS had finally realised what’s living on planet reality is like.’ But no. This morning Emily the economy woman told Doll Henry on current affairs show Breakfast that the ‘presidential’ Emperor slept blissfully through it all. Maybe, sleeping blissfully, was in fact a Christian Democratic Party code word for abruptly being woken up mid-sleep crying her Alexandrian green eyes out —

HM GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS (Yohannesian Emperor; President of the Electoral College; Christian Democratic Party – Christian Faction): I find that offensive.

ROELTSJE VELDMAN: — the more she deserved it all, then, because that is how the Christian Democratic Emperor should be feeling about the nineteen countries today. The Christian Democratic Emperor is like a less cool version of Ronald Chump, who would never say “I was wrong” or “I am sorry”. With all due respect to my fellow Member in this party, but Ronald Chump used to go “w-w-w” like a cyborg. Because he could not say the sentence “I was wrong.” The Christian Democratic Emperor too can’t say the sentence “housing crisis”. She simply cannot say that out loud. It’s like she is allergic to it. Well, there, is, a housing crisis. Everyone all around the continent of Yohannes do know that; seventy-four per cent of the Greater Halsten super electorate had voted on 5 September that this Christian Democratic Executive Council has failed the Regency of Lindblum. A further twenty-eight per cent of those people — some, strong supporters of this Executive Council — opined that they would like to leave Greater Halsten for other less-crowded electorates around the continent. Their own supporters, folks, blaming this Christian Democratic Executive Council. And yet did the presidential Emperor or the steadfast Chancellor opened their respective lazy green and blue eyes?

No.

Rt Hon LOSETON PETRES: As it stands today, we have the second lowest home-ownership rates since the days of the Founding Monarchs. There is a shortage of 1.58 million houses in Greater Halsten super electorate alone, and all Alice the fiscal lady can free up is a couple of big parks and a zoo — to build 1.58 million houses in. Rich. A typical, educated middle class Halstenian needs to save for at least ten years — ten years, can you believe that — to buy a leaking, non-insulated, one-bedroom house in one of the inner suburbs of our metropolises. If that person decides to partner up with, or marry someone, then we can half that to five years’ worth of wait. Discounting inflation. Wow. Now look at the frontbench Christian Democratic Ministers: do you see what I see? In response to that I see the shedding of crocodile tears: the economy woman has three properties in Kelburn, the fiscal lady has taxpayer-funded mansion in Söderström, and the Emperor is the Queen of the kingdom Alexandria — though she was apparently a ‘full-time paediatrician’ according to her archived CV.

When this Christian Democratic Executive Council do vacate office, we will have to clean up their mess. Because they have wiped off 272,952 Local Government Authority shelter and nation state houses since they took office. They also released at least ten state owned enterprises and further deregulated the chemical engineering and materials technology industries — against the recommendation of the World Assembly Development Foundation, just like a previous Christian Democratic Executive Council did to the finance industry in 1972. In short, a Christian Democratic Executive Council will almost always have appalling communal track record and egregious pro-business attitude. If they see what’s happening in this realm today, the old 1972 Christian Democratic Executive Council must have been very impressed indeed, because this Christian Democratic Executive Council actually also sold off local government authority and regional council nation state and shelter houses on top of propping up big banks and big factories. This week, the week of Budget Reform 2017, they have no one else to blame but themselves. From this week onwards, they cannot say ‘But we are forced to clean up the excessive bureaucratic control and spending of the previous Social Democratic Executive Council.’ It is time for that Executive Council to take responsibility, man up, and take real action instead of blaming the past. It is time that they seriously attempt to fix the crises of our time, instead of nibbling around the edges.

Yohannes First has only one thing to say in regard to the manufactured and so-called ‘trillion surpluses for the next eight years’. It is true that this Christian Democratic Executive Council has produced such gimmicks as ‘growth’ and ‘surpluses.’ But they have also produced a major nation state deficit. Not in capital or money, or in any material form. They have produced a major social deficit for the next generations to come. Urban Yohannesians living in camps and campervans; patients who have to wait for three years or more to get fully subsidised operations; overcrowding of mental health and rehabilitation housing and treatment facilities; primary school students going to schools hungry without state-funded milks and breakfasts — 2.7 million kids in poverty, 7.4 million people losing their manufacturing jobs. Magdalena Von und Zu Schönbein might want to answer to the people of Münchenmôtier, where unemployment rate is touching the seven per cent mark; that is, for every seventy people in Münchenmôtier — once one of our biggest industrial districts, Minister Von und Zu Schönbein, five people are out work under this Christian Democratic Executive Council. That is just embarrassing for this nation state.

Around the continent, 4.1 million young adults aged between sixteen and twenty-five are not working or not undertaking any form of apprenticeship or internship. That is the kind of major social deficit this Christian Democratic Executive Council is building. And this social deficit is something that a Social Democratic Executive Council — in partnership with Yohannes First — will have to fix in the future, because once again a Christian Democratic Executive Council has led the nineteen countries down.

This week, the week of Budget Reform 2017, Yohannes First expect six things. One: support small mum and dad businesses and not big businesses. Two: build more houses and free up land for non-investment properties. Three: slash immigration and increase citizenship requirements for non-Yohannesian speaking individuals. Four: hire Yohannesians first before immigrants and non-naturalised persons. Five: reduce international students’ intake for secondary schools and universities. And six: increase superannuation and supplementary allowances for the elderly.

Note 1: A nation state house is a house owned by either Local Government Authorities or Regional Councils around the continent of Yohannes; jointly-funded by governments of the nineteen countries at the national level and the Executive Council at the imperial level.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Debate — Time Expiration: Subject to the Speaker of Parliament

Customary Debate 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Monday, 11 September 2017 - Volume 951; Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: The member’s time has expired — in fact, twenty-seven seconds ago.

Rt Hon LOSETON PETRES: With all due respect —

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! I will not accept any further interjection.

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the room… ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: The time expiration for this debate has been reached. Honourable Members, the Monday Customary Debate is meant to be a debate, not an opportunity to come into parliament and advertise party positions, read campaign speeches, or call one another Dear Leader, economy woman, and treasury lady. I have headaches seeing the lines of standing orders being thinly crossed by certain Members of this Assembly. I suggest that those Members refer to the Standing Orders of the Imperial Parliament, 2016, which as those Members should know by now are the rules of procedure for this Assembly and its committees. The Members should know that they are not schoolchildren but legislators at the imperial level of governance in this land, and therefore they should know that I will not tolerate random acts of tomfoolery. If Members want some counsel, I suggest they refer to the following Speaker’s ruling: 42/7 and 42/9.

In light of that fact, I hereby give my official warning to all Members, particularly one very senior Member of this Assembly, that I will not allow the extension of time expiration, or violation thereof. If any Member attempts to contravene the Speaker’s ruling, I will be forced to discontinue that Member’s speech. I expect that from this point onwards, that the customary debate will become just that — a customary, normal, somewhat laconic debate.

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and shaking heads seen all around the room… ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: The debate having concluded, the motion lapsed.

---

[Yohannes]

---

International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017: First Reading

International Trust and Body Corporate 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Tuesday, 12 September 2017 - Volume 951; Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN (Majority Leader Pro Tempore; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Halsten): I seek leave to consider all parts and clauses of the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017 as one question.

Rt Hon SAUL RYAN (Speaker of Parliament; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Weirconsin): Leave for that purpose is sought. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017. First reading. This Bill is now presented before the Assembly.

This Bill is now presented before the Assembly, to continue on the Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of Continental Security. Taking the Chair, Electoral College and Parliament — one post meridiem.

One part and two clauses put in writing. First reading.

PAULUS SPITZER (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of High Technology and Industrial Security; Christian Democratic Party – Democratic Faction; Electorate of Altenmarkt): Seid gegrüßt, Brüder und Schwester. Guten Tag. Hereby in representation of the Christian Democratic Executive Council shall I move, that the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017, be read for the first time. I presented this Bill before the Select Committee on Justice and Public Security, and I have hereby brought this Bill before the Assembly for its first reading.

International money laundering and financial criminality are two widespread crimes found all around the international community of regions and nation states. Launderers take advantage of unaware businesses and gullible people. Launderers take advantage of legitimate financial services and banking systems of nation states through their deep maze of commercial activities and financial transactions to transfer both legally and illegally acquired currencies of nation states to fund their lifestyle and invest in their assets and criminal organisations.

Launderers use money to enrich themselves in not dissimilar ways violent dictators of resource-rich nation states use blood diamonds to fund their conquests. We must amend our outdated piece of legislation — the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Act 1973^{[Note 1]} — to enhance the financial criminality detection and deterrence ability of our various law enforcement agencies, i.e., Continental Yohannes Customs, Border and Immigration Yohannes, and the Imperial Police. Doing so will result in less crimes and prosecutions brought before the court; less financial loss for the nation state and its trading partners overseas; and less risks to our financial services and banking reputation amongst the international communities of nation states and regions. In doing so, we will indirectly support legal and legitimate businesses all around the continent, thus improving the economy of the nineteen countries and sustaining the current growth target of this Executive Council. And most importantly, in doing so we will be ensuring the realisation of an even less corrupt nation state for the future generations of Yohannesians to come.

As it stands today, only banking institutions, financial service providers, gaming clubs, and merchant associations are subjected to the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Act 1973. During the final reading of the Act in 1973, then Members of this parliament had thought those sectors specified previously were the most in danger and in peril of being used by both domestic and foreign criminal entities to fund their organisations. As we do know, however, and in accordance with the basic laws of realism, authority and jurisdiction created in one place will more often than not be countered by the shifting of the offenders’ activities to other, less secured and weaker sectors of the economy. The law of action and reaction. And to make things worse, criminals have significantly improved on their techniques and organisations since the seventies, when the Act was being amended.

This Bill is a powerful tool to protecting businesses and economic prosperity around Yohannes the continent. This Bill will bring less easily identifiable parties to ensuring the good reputation of our nation state’s financial services and banking sector: Chartered accountants, conveyancing firms, small-firm lawyers, pawn brokers, property agencies and agents, and valuables’ dealers, amongst others. These less prominent channels were left off from the 1973 amendment because our predecessors were focused more on the banks, big firms, and multinationals at the time. According to both Continental Yohannes Customs and the Imperial Police, with less channels available to transfer their blood capital and money from, both big time criminals and your run-of-the-mill launderers have opted instead to target less identifiable service providers or middle-people of commerce and trade. Anecdotally, their report supported my experiences of dealing with problems in my electorate in relation to money laundering and related crimes, over the last ten years or so. I have seen how these criminals have avoided detection by opting instead to target small-time brokers and individual agents in Altenmarkt.

Before the Hon Members of this Assembly will be so eager as to say AYYEEE in unison, however, I want to note that the passing of this amendment Bill will affect people all around the continent. Especially businesses. In light of that, this Executive Council has ensured during drafting that the content of this amendment has been minimised and balanced to a degree that it will not adversely affect our law-abiding private citizens’ commerce and trade, whilst still ensuring the new regime will provide additional checks in places to supplement and further improved on the 1973 amendment. We attempt to meet that objective by ensuring high and medium money laundering risks and transactions linked with acts of terrorism will be reduced, or ideally be eliminated thoroughly, whilst compliance costs on businesses and operations of private citizens will be minimised as much as possible. Through our active efforts in courting member-businesses of Chambers of Industry and Commerce Yohannes, and with their collective contribution and by hearing their concerns, I believe that we have in this Bill an amendment that will effectively combat the underground financing of criminal activities in this realm.

According to the recently released reports of both the Select Committee on Domestic Commerce and Chambers of Industry and Commerce Yohannes, the costs of compliance for business-owners and entrepreneurs in the nineteen countries in relation to this Bill will amount to 51.3 billion NationStates Dollars over the next four years. To support the accuracy of that figure, employees of the Office of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises have compiled over three thousand polling results around the continent in support of the six-months-drafted Bill version as it stands. Seminars and studies undertaken around the nineteen countries jointly funded by the Executive Council at the imperial level and governments at the national level have allowed us to further give the following updated data: that that original 51.3 billion NSD figure can, in fact, rise to as much as 60 billion NSD, over the next four years. This is obviously not good and so I want to address some of the key items in this Bill that can possibly lower that compliance costs figure.

First, according to this Bill we will teeter the future amended act’s execution time span for various industries with heavy concentration of small and medium sized business in our economy; mostly those enterprises categorised as vulnerable to such factors as contraction of supply or demand. We will not, however, teeter the execution time span for those identified sectors which are most at-risk of being used by laundering criminals or terrorists; such as an organised network of third-party pawnshops and non-chartered firms or finance providers. For those sectors identified as not most at-risk, by enforcing the law gradually, phased over a number of months, or possibly years, we will ensure that legitimate businesses will be more than ready to comply with this amended Act’s future regime, in a sustainable manner to protect their profit-driven goals or operations. Flexibility is also key to this Bill. This Bill will allow for the flexible sharing of data between local government authorities, regional councils, law enforcement agencies, and most importantly the citizen sector. This in accordance with the recent recommendation by the international Trust Investigation Division of the World Assembly Trade Commission, in relation to our international trust and body corporate disclosure rules and regulations.

Second, this Bill will address some of the key weakness points and holes found in the previous amendment version’s information disclosure and reporting regimes. As it stands, the Amendment Act 1973 stipulates that businesses should only report actually-occurring, dodgy transacting agreements. This Bill increases the current Act’s scope by including within that reporting criteria the stipulation that an existing body or person must report dodgy activities even if there are no transacting activities already made. It ensures that all crucial evidences are given for law enforcement agencies to scrutinise and further investigate on, in time before the criminals or related parties involved can escape detection.

And finally, the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017 complies with the most up-to-date, currently existing standards recommended by the International Trust Investigation Division of the World Assembly Trade Commission. As I have seen to date, what with the World Assembly Trade Commission itself not actually focusing thoroughly on matters of international illegal financing and money laundering; even the World Assembly itself does not have a truly functioning body of anti-money laundering experts within its bureaucracy. This Bill will ensure that the nineteen countries in the continent of Yohannes will have a truly modern, effective anti-money laundering and counter illegal financing regimes at the imperial level.

I hereby commend the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017 before this august assembly.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Next to commence. International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017 Inter-Party Discussion.

Note 1: The International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Act 1973 was in turn a minor change designed to improve on the original International Trust and Body Corporate Act 1914.

---

[Yohannes]

---

International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017: Inter-Party Discussion

International Trust and Body Corporate 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Tuesday, 12 September 2017 - Volume 951; Parliamentary Debate — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



ADALBERT WERNICKE (Justice and Public Security Spokesman; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Ringholm): It is my honour to hereby address Members of this assembly in support of the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill. I want to offer my endorsement to Mr Spitzer’s declaration regarding the need to, quote, enhance the financial criminality detection and deterrence ability of our various law enforcement agencies, unquote. As a socially responsible political party, the Social Democratic Party do not want to see the spectre of widespread laundering and dirty money flooding our nation state. I have, however, two points that I want to make in relation to the Bill.

First, I am worried that this amendment legislation is looking at things the wrong way. From its wordings, it is clear that the Christian Democratic Executive Council is trying to divert the focus of the law on trusts and body corporates, including assets and money, originating in or made in the nineteen countries. Which is silly. It should be the other way around. International means international body corporate and trust. Not domestic body corporate and trust. It also means money coming from overseas. Not money made in the nineteen countries.

The International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment, as Mr Spitzer said, is aiming to target previously untargeted entities under the 1914 Act. These entities or individuals are, amongst others, quote, chartered accountants, conveyancing firms, small-firm lawyers, pawn brokers, property agencies and agents, and valuables’ dealers, unquote. Well we should be careful not to be prejudiced against domestic body corporates and trusts. No matter how uninfluential or under-represented they are at the Beehive.^{[Note 1]} No one wants to kill completely legal and honest Yohannesian market contenders in favour of overseas contenders.

Second, Mr Spitzer said that, quote, the costs of compliance for business-owners and entrepreneurs… will amount to 51.3 billion NationStates Dollars over the next four years, unquote. If we work out the calculation then that is equal to an estimated 13 billion NSD costs to businesses each year. Law abiding businesses. Then Mr Spitzer said that, in fact, the costs will be even higher: 60 billion NSD over the next four years. Or 15 billion NSD each year. That is a lot of money lost. If we can somehow magically bring back that 15 billion NSD, each year; that can go a long way to feeding many hungry kids. Or maybe build thousands of houses. Or maybe to use as grants for many public health researchers and technology innovators. And if instead we inject that 15 billion NSD into the economy — I don’t know, maybe to build bridges and roads or expanding our electric systems. We can boost businesses and help the communities heaps. In light of all that, I want Mr Spitzer to know that we should be careful as to not impose too strict a requirement and too big a regime on law-abiding private citizens’ commerce. If possible, higher costs should be avoided.

In regard to my second point, I want to give one example. In 2013, one year after the mini financial crisis engulfing our land, people suffered so much financial losses that, looking back, it’s frightening just to think about it. Think of the thousands of innocent mum and dad investors who are investing in those old companies. Instead of doing it gradually to prepare people and market participants, this parliament, under huge criticisms and public condemnations, chose to abruptly enforce higher regulations in the financial sector. As a result, overnight thousands of highly qualified accountants, lawyers, and trust companies found themselves suddenly unqualified to continue doing business or practice. Of course the very next day the Executive Council readjusted the stringent requirement. But it was too late, for the damage has been done. That is why I hope that the Bill’s attempt to gradually enforce the law, to be phased over a number of months, or possibly years, will ensure that legitimate businesses will be more than ready to face the new regime. In the current economic environment, this nation state cannot afford to lose a billion NSD each year, let alone 15 billion NSD.

So we arrive at the following conclusion: can this Bill turn into reality its idealistic goal of reducing, or ideally eliminating, incidents of money laundering and the involvement of dirty capital and money infecting the trusts and body corporate networks of the nineteen countries? If not, what if this Bill will instead inflict horrendous losses — 15 billion NSD each year — on private citizen’s commerce without accomplishing much? Taking into account those two questions, I do confirm that the Social Democratic Party will support the Bill, albeit reservedly, with the goal of reducing incidents of money laundering and financial criminality in mind. I hereby commend this Bill tabled before parliament.

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: In light of the many things parliament and its Members have accomplished yesterday and today, I seek leave for parliament to retire at half past three, or at the conclusion of the first reading, whichever is to arrive sooner.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Leave for that purpose is sought. Is there any objection?

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and yawning faces seen all around the room… ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: There appears to be none.

KAYLA FLETCHER (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Geoscience and Natural Resources; Green Party; Electorate of Weston): It is my privilege to hereby stand in support of the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill, on behalf of the Green Party. The Bill will rightfully expand the previous amendment’s scope to include more industry players. Chartered accountants, conveyancing firms, small-firm lawyers, pawn brokers, and especially, especially, property agencies and agents. No matter how insignificant or small, we must regulate their activities to ensure more transparency in our information disclosure and reporting regimes.

I would also like to voice my agreement with the second point voiced by the previous Member. The Bill must accomplish this without putting unnecessary pressure and inflicting injurious additional costs on law-abiding business-owners and entrepreneurs. With that in mind, I hereby commend this Bill tabled before parliament.

NICKEL FALLAGE (Yohannes First Party; Electorate of South East Burmecia): I am a wee bit peeved to think that Mr Spitzer has beat me to drafting this Bill. But nevertheless, with great pleasure I hereby say that Yohannes First do support this Bill. We look forward to it coming before the Select Committee on Justice and Public Security once again. Danke schön.

[ … The quorum has been reached… Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the room… ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: A vote shall be called into question. I move that the International Trust and Body Corporate Amendment Bill 2017 be reported to parliament by the date that is three months following the date of first reading.

[ AAYYYEEEE! All members from the Christian Democratic section collectively gave a loud and piercing cry; which was more than enough to form a voting majority. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order!

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the room… ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Motion agreed to. Parliament shall retire at the conclusion of reading, reached, as stated.

Honourable Members, I wish you all the good late afternoon that you deserve.

Note 1: The Beehive is the nickname of the parliament building.

---

[Yohannes]

---

State of the Empire Address 2017 — Subject to the Chief Justice of the Peace: Appropriation Update

State of the Empire Address 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Wednesday, 13 September 2017 - Volume 951; Appropriation update — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN (Majority Leader Pro Tempore; Christian Democratic – Democratic; Electorate of Halsten): On this Members’ Day, hereby in representation of the Christian Democratic Executive Council shall I move, that a State of the Empire^{[Note 1]} address be given to the Rt Hon Imperial Chief Justice of the Peace and judicature overseer, Ms Olivia Rose Christensen. We commend to the Imperial Chief Justice of the Peace the Electoral Minority Equality Commission and District Commission appropriation updates for the financial years 2017 and 2018.

Here in parliament, these two bodies are known for their contribution in guaranteeing the fabrics of democracy and equality. The Electoral Minority Equality Commission, as everybody knows, is an independent statutory body corporate which enjoys perpetual succession and has a common seal, tasked with guaranteeing the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, women, and ethnic non-Yohannesian minorities in our land. Its membership, composed of the thirty-seventh and current Deputy Chief Justice of the Peace and the fifty-seventh and current Chief Judge of the National Court, makes very clear that it has the authority to independently assess the electoral system of the nineteen countries.

Meanwhile, the District Commission of the Estates General has kept the fabric of democracy alive in the nineteen countries through its responsible management of, and authority to review collegian boundaries after each electoral census; under supervision by the Justices of the Peace and answerable only to the Imperial Electoral Court. Both bodies are valuable to keeping the principles of democracy and human rights alive, and have served the nineteen countries well.

Since their foundations, both body corporates have given Yohannesians the open channel to go to if they think they have not had a fair go, through either discrimination or unintentional bureaucratic mistake. In order for both body corporates to serve our people well, additional funding must be made every once in a while. As parliament will remember, the last time both body corporates did look forward to an increase in funding was the year 2014, during the State of the Empire address of the 17th Yohannesian Emperor. Well today, parliament can look forward to increasing their funding for the years 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019. This way we can seize the initiative before commission backlogs and funding shortage related problems are created. To nip it in the bud.

I want to say, however, in complementing their huge tasks in keeping democracy and human rights alive in our realm, I do not think parliament, despite its power of appropriation, has the right to comment on or judge the performance of any independent body corporate. Parliament cannot and will not attempt to seize that right, which is fully the prerogative of the Chief Justice of the Peace herself and the lower Judges of the realm. This being in accordance with the fourth introductory principle of the Rule of Law.

But. I did see during the airing of Current Affairs The Nation State last week something that raised our concern here, on this side of the assembly. The Head Commissioner, the Thirty-seventh Deputy Chief Justice of the Peace Von und Zu Musäus, commented on the possibility that an internationally well-known and widespread terrorist organisation — claiming to represent the cause of LGBT by committing many horrendous crimes, such as assassinating important politicians and many innocent individuals abroad — might one day extend their operation here. I was so surprised to hear the Commissioner’s comment that I choked on my cup of Lyran night shade tea.

When Emperor Til Alexandros and the Chief Justice Christensen both signed the Gender, LGBT, Racial and Religious Minority Act 2016 into law, they did comment on the role of the Head Commissioner as someone who make sure that people are treated fairly inside our democracy. And not to determine the scope, or bounds, of that democracy. The Chief Justice of the Peace and the Emperor further stipulated that, in accordance with the law, the role of the Head Commissioner is not to wander off into areas that are most suitably dealt with by the proper courts of the Justices of the Peace, particularly when it comes to the rules that that person should not involve her or himself with foreign news or international development or international happenings. I know that that was possibly only a fine line crossed, but that interview still gave me quite some cause for concern.

Nevertheless, I am pleased to commend both body corporates before parliament and to address to the Chief Justice of the Peace their desirable qualities and the notable work they have done in guaranteeing the principles of democracy and human rights in our nation state. And I do look forward to the possible rebuttal of the Social Democratic Party, or any other party in this parliament.

Thank you.

Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN (Imperial Head of Opposition; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Clearingtonne): I disagree with the comment made by the Majority Leader Pro Tempore. There are two points that I want to make to rebut her claim —

Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Standing Orders of the Imperial Parliament 2016 clearly stated that I have the right to disapprove what that Member has just said about me. But I will not, in the hope of maintaining the peace of parliament, at least for today, on this Members’ Day. I can confidently say, however, that I have not accused anyone in my address.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN (Speaker of Parliament; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Weirconsin): I will lean towards the side of the Imperial Head of Opposition. For it appears to be the subject of debate, and address had been given accordingly mentioning the name of that subject.

Rt Hon ANNABELLE THORNDON-STEVENSONN (Chancellor of the Nineteen Countries; Christian Democratic Party – Democratic Faction; Electorate of Altbrandenburg): Mr Speaker –

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! I apologise for interrupting the Chancellor. But a reasonable statement has been made by the Imperial Head of Opposition. And that is the end of the matter.

Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN: Of course. The Majority Leader Pro-Tempore, and this time supported even by the Chancellor herself, might try to once again disapprove the very word she has uttered before parliament. She might attempt to distract other Members and disrupt proceedings in this Assembly, but no Members will forget the statement she has made in relation to the Head Commissioner and the speech the Commissioner made during The Nation State current affairs airing. I want to say this to Members of this Assembly: when she said her disapproval, no matter how lightly voiced it might be, it gave me my own cause for concern. Because parliament is supposed to be fully behind the Head Commissioner unless during the exercise of review capacity, in accordance with the First Amendment. When a Majority Leader Pro-Tempore, never mind the pro tempore bit, actually do criticise, no matter how lightly, the work of the Head Commissioner herself, then I find that to be somewhat unconstitutional. Unconstitutional. All I can say is I believe we have in the person of the Head Commissioner a fine appointment indeed.

Hon EMILY KIRCHWEGER (Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade; Christian Democratic - Democratic): Because the Deputy Chief Justice of the Peace was a Young Social Democrat once. Right Jeremy?

[ LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP! LOCK EMILY THE ECONOMY WOMAN AND FRAUDSTER UP; Loseton Petres led a chorus from the Yohannes First section. ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Order! Mr Petres, I find that behaviour unacceptable, for it has ruined the decorum of this assembly in today’s session.

Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN: I want to inform Members of this assembly that all the Head Commissioner did was to refer to the foreign organisation who call themselves by the name of, excuse me for this offensive word, Homofront.

[ All Members of parliament gasped, eyes wide open; each one raising their hands, covering their mouth. H... h... he mentioned You... Know... What...., whispered voices coming from the Green section. Even the Speaker of parliament himself — a well-known pro-life supporter — shut his mouth and stared at Jeremy Robyn in a weird way. ]

Rt Hon JEREMY ROBYN: ... the Head Commissioner has the right to comment on outside development, so long as she has done her job according to the law, word for word, and in doing so has supported the very fabric of democracy in the nineteen countries itself. She can say and cry her heart out about... I feel it would be prudent for me not to repeat that name again... that thing, but for all parliament should care about is whether she has done her job, not whether she has overstepped some unimportant boundaries imposed on her upon appointment. In fact, I think it is a good thing that she did not just follow the executive line, and actually had the guts to say what she thinks about... that thing. I concluded therefore that the Majority Leader Pro Tempore is either a liar. Because the Head Commissioner certainly did not violate any of our constitutional code or any act of parliament, by mentioning the name of... that-organisation-that-must-not-be-named. Or she is an advocate of tyranny. Because she disliked freedom of speech. So which one is it, people?

KAYLA FLETCHER (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Geoscience and Natural Resources; Green Party; Electorate of Weston): To follow on the Member previously standing, it gave me cause for concern that the Majority Leader Pro Tempore had commented on the Head Commissioner in such a way as to undermine the Head Commissioner’s right to freedom of speech. However I am not standing here to simply talk about bruised ego or partisan game between the Christians and the Socialists. I am here to remind this parliament of the excellent investigation and reporting regimes of the Equality Commission. Since its foundation two years ago, the Commission has in average handled and treated 1,500 serious complaints lodged each week. That is fabulous.

The body is the very representation of democracy itself. In saying that, we have to remember that a 38.2 million NationStates Dollars increase — the amount asked by both body corporates — is quite the increase in expenditure. But I feel that, for handling over 11,400 requests lodged each year and 1,500 serious complaints lodged each week, that 38.2 million NSD increase will be money well spent for a worthy cause. I find it admirable that even as we speak, both body corporates are still trying their best to uphold the principles of democracy and human rights by dealing with the accumulation of uncompleted matters that are yet to be dealt with. Because of need for more funding. The Green Party do fully support the commendable achievements of both body corporates.

NICKEL FALLAGE (Yohannes First Party; Electorate of South East Burmecia): Yohannes First is more than ready to stand in support of the much-needed appropriation update. As a nation state, we need to have the necessary tools to hold the Christian Democratic Executive Council accountable, whenever and wherever they have overstepped their boundaries.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Motion agreed to, and Address agreed to.

Note 1: Unlike in most nation states overseas, the State of the Empire Address in the nineteen countries is usually done three times each year. The first is made by the elected Emperor, the second by the appointed Chief Justice of the Peace, and the third by Parliament and the Electoral College.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill 2017: First Reading

Freight Shipping and Water Transport 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Thursday, 14 September 2017 - Volume 951; First Reading — Subject to the Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



Hon CLAUDIA WINTERGREEN (Majority Leader Pro Tempore; Christian Democratic Party – Democratic Faction; Electorate of Halsten): I seek leave to consider all parts and clauses of the Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill 2017 as one question.

Rt Hon SAUL RYAN (Speaker of Parliament; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Weirconsin): Leave for that purpose is sought. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill 2017. First reading. This Bill is now presented before the Assembly.

This Bill is now presented before the Assembly. Taking the Chair, Electoral College and Parliament — one post meridiem.

Hon ELTON HOLMQVIST (Minister of the Commonwealth Navy; Christian Democratic Party – Democratic Faction; Electorate of Vonde-Åsmund): Seid gegrüßt, Brüder und Schwester. Guten Tag. Hereby in representation of the Christian Democratic Executive Council shall I move, that the Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill 2017 be read for the first time. I present the Amendment Bill before the Select Committee on Navy and Merchant Navy, and I have hereby brought the Bill before the Assembly for its first reading.

The purpose of the Amendment is to improve merchant shipping and general water transport safety standards in our territorial waters. Another purpose of the Amendment is to introduce new environmental protection measures in our territorial waters. The Bill amends existing regulatory framework on shipping and general water transport in accordance with the 2001 Amendment of the original Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Act. The Bill attempts to add to existing compensation regimes for shipping or water transport incidents causing environmental damage in Yohannesian waters.

To respect the provisions and in accordance with rules set out by the International Transport Safety Committee, the Bill will adjust identified anomalies associated with both the previous Amendment Act and the Yohannesian Unity Law with respect to existing World Assembly international transport laws. The Bill will provide additional funding to cover future damage or compensation costs in the event of shipping or general transport accidents at sea, worth at least 51.813 billion NationStates Dollars in environmental damage compensation and 117.424 billion NSD in general transport compensation. The schemes will be funded entirely by the Bank of Yohannes and willing domestic and international branches or allied institutions, such as the Bank of the Atlantic.

In addition, the Bill will address existing water transport liability claim issues, as shown in the case of the Empire of Jingoistan’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill, otherwise known as the BP oil disaster. The plight of the Empire of Jingoistan has taught us about the importance of modernising our own right of claim and limitation of liability regimes. Thus, the Bill attempts to learn from the weaknesses showcased by the claims right and liability limitation regimes of the Empire of Jingoistan, by removing from our own regimes any legal reservation to limitation of liability for environmental damage caused by all grades of foreign ships, including the removal of wrecked ships and ship parts and cargo. Finally, by adopting the Bill, we will expand the scope of those domestic bodies – whether communal, public, or private – tasked with coordinating empire-wide response to any future shipping or water transport disaster that may occur in our territorial waters.

The Bill will also fix existing anomalies with respect to the World Assembly, General Assembly Resolution # 34 International Transport Safety, by increasing organisational flexibility in our regulatory approach to international shipping. The Bill attempts to fix existing anomalies by allowing the respective Merchant Navy Directors of the nineteen governments at the national level to operationally decide on the ground how they can meet existing regimes as set out under the Bill and the World Assembly’s International Transport Safety resolution.

Merchant Navy Directors of the respective nineteen governments can also decide on adopting new technologies developed domestically or overseas — without the need of confirmation at the imperial level — following the industry expectations and standards set out by the World Assembly’s International Transport Safety Committee. Local Government Authorities and Regional Councils all around Yohannes the continent will also be given the authority to collect payment and supplementary emolument from domestic or foreign parties guilty of breaching the Unity Law with respect to the Sixth Amendment; thus in effect decentralising powers of governance in matters of shipping and water transport safety standards from the Executive Council to the regions.

The provisions included within the Bill will improve merchant shipping and general water transport safety standards in our territorial waters, whilst further improving existing standards set out by the World Assembly’s International Transport Safety Committee. I hereby commend the Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill 2017 before this august assembly.

MAGNUS NORDIN (Energy and Science Spokesman; Social Democratic Party; Electorate of Dybby): It is my honour to hereby address Members of this assembly in support of the Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill. The creation of additional fund — or I should say, funds — in the Bill will allow us to expand our future damage or compensation protection in the event of shipping or general transport accidents at sea. The Bill focuses on organisational flexibility by granting local government authorities, regional councils, and national navy directors the powers to enforce transport standards, modify regime requirement, and collect fees, payment, and emolument from foreign parties on the waterways of the nineteen countries, amongst others.

I like it. Counting on the last bit, the Bill will allow local government authorities to impose levies on the import and transport of oil and dirty energy in general. These levies will go towards the funds — also funded by the Bank of Yohannes and allied institutions — to act as some kind of a backup plan, or maybe this is a better way of describing it: we put money periodically into the piggy bank to act as extra insurance in the case something bad will happen. Accidents at sea. We cannot end up like the Empire of Jingoistan, where even today years after that BP oil disaster, they are still feeling its environmental consequences.

Closer home, the 2004 ‘HMS Kuja’ oil transport accident was a scary one. I don’t remember the exact figure, but if I can vividly recall from that accident when both container ships hit each other, various parts of the ships were broken, and over 10,000 barrels of oil, which if I have to quickly count from my head would, be around… 1,600 cubic metres of dirty oil released. Into the sea. It was a catastrophe and today we can and must do better than that.

BERNHARD BODE (Green Party; Electorate of Nederbro): In this Amendment Bill, we have the opportunity to rein in some of the excesses of both Yohannesian and foreign shipping industries and fill gap holes found in our commercial shipping right of claim and limitation of liability regimes. I hope that this Amendment Bill was really drafted in the spirit of improving safety standard for the transportation of both freight and people in our territorial waters. We must fix existing weaknesses in our regime to ensure compensation in the case of disaster happening will fully be acquired from guilty foreign parties — that is, closing any legal loopholes that can be used by foreign parties to avoid both financial and social responsibilities.

Another thing that I can’t get my head around is why. Why after three years of a Christian Democratic Executive Council do we only have the Amendment Bill being drafted now. And to top it off, it is not even a very in-depth Bill, containing half the total number of pages as the Kazansky Heavy Industries Allanea Bill —

[ They are never happy! Some members from the Christian Democratic section heckled. ]

Hon ELTON HOLMQVIST: I am offended by the Member’s brutal words, giving the impression as if I am a lazy person.

BERNHARD BODE: Yes, the Minister may be offended by my choice of wording. But really, Elton, three years?

Hon ELTON HOLMQVIST: What can I do to please you. Tell me what can I do to please you.

[ Parliament is not the place for bathroom singalong! Some members from the Yohannes First section heckled. Laughing heard all around the chamber. ]

MAGNUS NORDIN: Bathroom singalong practice by the Minister aside, I want to ask: why do the Bill separate the authorising provisions in matters of liability limitation removal for freighters from tankers? They should be put together. Separating these provisions can result in legal loophole where guilty parties can escape their obligation before this nation state and its people by using ships categorised as freighters in accordance with the rules set out by the World Assembly’s International Transport Safety Committee. Because under the current version of the Bill the removal of liability limitation with respect to freighters are not included. I understand where the Minister is going with this — as it can possibly hurt commerce if executed poorly on the ground by local government authorities. But we have to remain consistent.

Following our foreign policy of neutrality and isolation, we have decided to concentrate domestically; to clean up our act at home. This Christian Democratic Executive Council can use this opportunity to show our people that it is seriously trying to clean up problems at home with the passage of this Bill, which is set to provide additional funding to cover future compensation costs — worth at least 51.813 billion NationStates Dollars in environmental damage compensation and 117.424 billion NSD in general transport compensation — in the event of shipping or general transport accidents happening in our territorial waters.

NICKEL FALLAGE (Yohannes First Party; Electorate of South East Burmecia): The Kazansky Heavy Industries and the Bank of Yohannes 2017 has shown that this Executive Council has the resources to afford this Bill. Or any similar pieces of legislation to meet the industry expectations and standards set out by the World Assembly’s International Transport Safety Committee. As the Member Loseton Petres said during Monday Customary Debate, quote, it is time for that Executive Council to take responsibility... instead of nibbling around the edges, unquote. If the Christian Democratic Executive Council can afford such gimmicks as the ‘infrastructure of nation state significance’ and a ‘trillion surpluses for the next eight years’, then Yohannes First expect them to also have the wherewithal to realise a green, environment-focused and high standard network of shipping and maritime traffic in our territorial waters.

[ … The quorum has been reached… ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: A vote shall be called into question. I move that the Freight Shipping and Water Transport Amendment Bill 2017 be commended to the Select Committee on Navy and Merchant Navy by the date that is one day following the date of first reading.

[ … Shuffling of papers heard; a brief pause, and nodding heads seen all around the room… ]

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Motion agreed to. Parliament shall retire at the conclusion of reading, reached, as stated.

Honourable Members, I wish you all the good afternoon that you deserve.

---

[Yohannes]

---

Parliamentary Oral Questions — Questions to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund

Economic Growth and Financial Standing — Domestic Nation State Issues -- An excerpt from the two hundred and thirtieth parliamentary hansard: Friday, 15 September 2017 - Volume 951; Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers of the Executive Council, Emperor, and Realm.



Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Question time to commence — Questions to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund: Economic Growth and Financial Standing 2017 — Domestic Nation State Issues.

Rt Hon MERTHIN CARPENTER (Christian Democratic Party — Democratic Faction; Collegian for 4th Cederi District) to the Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund: Does she stand by all her Executive Council's policies?

Hon ALICE SCHNEIDER (Minister of the Treasury and Wealth Fund; Christian Democratic Party — Democratic Faction; Electorate of Altmark): Yes, I do.

Rt Hon MERTHIN CARPENTER: Then, does she stand by her statement made to the Senior Press Gallery yesterday that she, quote, will work closely with the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Trade to control operating expenses. This is what we have done to turn the 120 billion NationStates Dollars deficit in May, two years ago, into an overall small surplus by the end of that same year, unquote?

Hon ALICE SCHNEIDER: The purpose for me speaking before Senior Press Gallery was to inform the press that, since the time this Executive Council first took office in 2014 until now, new spending allocated for newly registered spending in our budgets, if averaged since 2014, have not produced more than 510 billion NSD in cost per year. This figure, of course, excludes those spending allowances made possible only in response to new income, registered surpluses, or foreign trade developments, i.e., Arthropol, Allanea, the German Nation, et al., and in light of that fact I believe that we have done quite a good job in keeping our promise when we first took office in 2014. I also want to direct the Member to this figure: 3.91 trillion NSD, which is the annual cost over the last three budgets; excluding, of course, new spending allowances made available by new income, trade, et al., as I have mentioned before.

We do still focus on making sure taxpayers and taxpaying bodies know that the Executive Council will manage their contribution in a responsible way; that when they pay taxes, their contribution will not go to waste for some frivolous spending programmes. We want them to say: “The Christian Democratic Executive Council is an effective and good manager of my money. I like it.”

Rt Hon MERTHIN CARPENTER: When we look at our current situation from the angle of both the current domestic and international economic situation, how will Executive Council income be affected in the long run?

Hon ALICE SCHNEIDER: I am a bit confused by the Member’s question. But I will assume that he meant ‘to the financial year 2020.’ Because we cannot predict what international development will be like any longer than that in the future. To satisfy the Member, he will be glad to know that as of currently, there has been no deviation shown from the Chief Economist’s data. Since Budget Reform 2017 forecasts were made in June, the nation state has experienced a slight decline in capital machinery prices, a small increase in energy and oil prices, a slightly lower inflation and lower interest rates; and a somewhat worrying outlook, from both economic and diplomatic points of view, in parts of the international community of regions and nation states affected by the gradually expanding influence of SACTO and its rash gunboat diplomacy pursuits — resulting in slightly weaker economic outlook in some regions.

But this Executive Council is a practical fiscal administrator; we oversee our budgets in advance of any possible negative changes in prices happening; we conservatively prepare financial reports for our body corporates; and we develop goals and strategies to overcome possible negative foreign developments hindering us from keeping our promise, made in 2014 when we first took office, in reducing nation state debt to thirty per cent of GDP by 2025. And therefore, we are unlikely to cut essential programmes or income support services, which would be contrary to our goal — to guarantee the welfare of hard-working, aspirational but struggling Yohannesians.

Rt Hon MERTHIN CARPENTER: What decisions has the Executive Council taken to reduce spending?

Hon ALICE SCHNEIDER: Under my watch, Treasury and Wealth Fund has concentrated above all to increase spending efficiency. It means that we have in a way decided not to focus on increasing tax intake or restricting essential spending. By increasing spending efficiency gradually each year since we first took office in 2014, we have invested on various early prevention and early support initiatives; directing 800 billion NSD — in the Kazansky Heavy Industries Allanea Agreement 2017 —to the Executive Council’s ‘Futuresaver’ Central Provident Fund; 59 billion NSD invested on Work and Parenting Income over the next eight years; 730 billion NSD will be invested to reduce Universal Education Authority overextension and state and state-integrated school overcrowding by at least three per cent, every year, over the next eight years; and finally, 125 billion NSD made available for the Re-skilling and Vocational Support Scheme, for the next several years.

We attempt to prevent the children of beneficiaries to become future beneficiaries in the future. We know that they are simply potentials, flowers that will one day grow to become hard-working, aspirational members of society. And so we put in places various education and vocational programmes to equip them with the essential skills they will need to one day flourish. And public servants are happy too, knowing that under this Executive Council; we have drifted away from the harmful, ‘eternal dependency’ attitude of the previous Social Democratic Executive Council. Jeremy Robyn style welfare nation state, as my colleague Emily would call it. We have the facilities; factories, learning centres, machinery, money, and most importantly supportive human capital to help the struggling members in our society succeed.

Rt Hon MERTHIN CARPENTER: What other decisions has the Executive Council taken to improve its books?

Hon ALICE SCHNEIDER: Nation state debt sizes are influenced by nation state capital expansion projects happening all around the land, on top of operating expenses. Under this Executive Council we have ensured that money going in as capital and investment undertaken all around the land are managed wisely; that for every one NSD we spend on something; whether it be funding grants, housing programmes, machinery stock upgrade, research and development, et al., we are sure there will be higher return on investment relative to cost. Of course, for some; such as hospitals or schools, we will reduce that expectation. As of Budget Reform 2017, investments from Futures and Capital Funds have been registered as 76.2 billion NSD for our education sector, 123.8 billion NSD for infrastructure, and 69.1 billion NSD for health.

Rt Hon Speaker SAUL RYAN: Next to commence. Committee on Judicature Modernisation — Subject to the Chair Appointee: The Honourable Claudia Gwyneth Wintergreen, Emperor’s Counsel.

---