Page 2935 - Week 13 - Thursday, 23 November 1989
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Mr Whalan: I am sorry, Mr Speaker. I want you to stop the clock, if that is what you are going to do.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, we will do that, thank you.
Mr Whalan: Do you agree to that?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Deputy Chief Minister. My ruling on this matter is as I suspected: I have the right to terminate this speech if you continue in that matter. I believe that, when you did not resume your chair when asked to do so and I had to speak over you, you were persistently and wilfully disregarding the authority of the Chair. If you look at standing order 202(e) you will see that I have that prerogative. However, under the circumstances of this debate, I will allow you to proceed, provided that you adhere to directions when given by the Chair. You now have two minutes in which to deliver your speech.
MR WHALAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The legislation which is on the program is quite important and fundamental to the sound government and administration of this Territory. There will be considerable speculation as to whether or not Mr Collaery's bedtime motion will be successful, so there is no reason why the orderly government of the ACT should not proceed and this Assembly should not continue to sit for the time for which it was scheduled to sit.
I cannot see what Mr Collaery is frightened of. Is he afraid to stand up in this chamber and debate? I know that he is rather ashen-faced today, and I do not know whether that is from fear or illness or what. But I wonder, and I pose to Mr Collaery the question, what is he so afraid of that he wants to adjourn and gag this Assembly. Is he afraid to get to his feet here and speak on matters which are on the agenda? Is he afraid to demonstrate his lack of concern for the administration and government of the ACT by denying this chamber the opportunity to debate matters that are of considerable importance to the citizens of the ACT?
This is fundamental to the human rights and the civil liberties of the people of the ACT. We know that Mr Collaery makes a big play of the fact that this is an area with which he is deeply concerned, as a civil rights lawyer in the great tradition of the civil rights lawyers, defending the rights of individuals and defending the rights of citizens who are not in a position to defend their rights. (Extension of time granted)
The fundamental issue that we face is the motion which we have before the Assembly, which has two parts. It is an adjournment of the debate and a setting of the next day of sitting. What it is seeking to achieve in this process is to deny to the members of this Assembly the opportunity to debate legislation.
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