Under new section 42E in clause 4 of the bill, councils will also be required to appoint a registrar to compile and maintain the pecuniary interests register. However, it will not be the responsibility of the registrar to ensure that members file the returns. That will be the responsibility of each elected member, and rightly so, as this is consistent with the approach taken for members of this House. For someone who fails to comply with the requirement to file an annual return, upon conviction, they will be liable to a fine not exceeding $5,000. I have to say that in my discussions in my community and around the country, views on this particular point vary, with some calling for harsher penalties, including disqualification from office. The select committee may wish to consider submissions on this particular penalty provision. But given that the penalty provision, as it currently stands, includes a criminal conviction as a result of failing to fulfil legal obligations in their duties as an elected member, my tentative view is that that alone would be significant as a deterrent for a publicly elected official. It's also important to note that under a new section 42A in clause 4, the bill also introduces a requirement for the register to be made publicly available, which would be on an annual basis. 