Page 1338 - Week 04 - Thursday, 5 May 2022

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is just parroting words that have been prepared and scripted for him because his argument went from, “It’s going to take too long, seven to 10 years,” through to, “No, no, no; we’ve already done all the studies,” through to, “No, no, no; this isn’t it,” and then it goes to where you know people go to when they have run out, and that is a personal offensive attack.

Mr Gentleman literally started his response by talking about me bringing on a motion on behalf of Zed Seselja. Through you, Madam Speaker, to every single young female from a migrant background who comes into a position that they have worked hard to get into, to be a diverse voice in this place: to have a government minister offensively call me a puppet is disgusting.

I would call on every single member of Labor and the Greens to say what they think about that. Do many of them not say that the standard that you walk past is the standard that you accept? Is it okay for a government minister to be telling the elected leader of a party, who has had to face things that he has no idea about only to be in this place, that I am a mere puppet? It is disgusting, it is unministerial, and he needs to apologise.

I do not care that he said it to me, but it does matter what he said in this place because it sets an example for those out there. Madam Speaker, what happens to the thousands of young women of colour that may one day think, “Hey, perhaps I will have a place in Australian politics,” when they see that rubbish, that unacceptable behaviour, from a government minister? The only thing more shameful and embarrassing is that we all know he does not call the shots. So let us be honest: the Canberra Liberals will not be supporting Mr Ponton’s amendment.

Question put:

That the amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 15		Noes 8
Ms Berry	Ms Orr		Mr Cain
Mr Braddock	Dr Paterson		Ms Castley
Ms Burch	Mr Pettersson		Mr Hanson
Ms Cheyne	Mr Rattenbury		Mrs Kikkert
Ms Clay	Mr Steel		Ms Lawder
Ms Davidson	Ms Stephen-Smith		Ms Lee
Mr Davis	Ms Vassarotti		Mr Milligan
Mr Gentleman			Mr Parton

Amendment agreed to.

Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.

MADAM SPEAKER: Before we go to standing committees, I just want to make the comment that, in the passion of debate, to make reference to and name a public

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