ACT politicians will soon get two months to publicly update their members' interest declarations, with the Legislative Assembly expected to endorse a motion making the change in the next sitting period.
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Speaker Joy Burch has lodged a notice of motion to change the rules governing members' interest declarations to allow MLAs 60 days to update their declarations, which are meant to detail gifts, investments and other interests politicians hold.
While territory politicians would still need to update their register within the current one-month period after an election, the change will mean they have twice as much time to update it when interests change during the term.
Ms Burch said the changes were made on the advice of the Assembly's administration and procedure committee, which includes MLAs from all parties, as it would cut the "administrative burden for members whilst achieving the same disclosure outcome.
It is unclear why territory politicians need the extra time, given federal parliamentarians and MPs in most states are required to declare changes to their interests within a month of the change being made.
The motion, expected to be debated and passed in the next sitting period, given the committee's endorsement, will also see the Assembly's clerk required to keep all such declarations for a seven year period.
Ms Burch said all MLAs were required to keep their declarations up to date and failure to do so could see them found in contempt of the Assembly.
