Page 474 - Week 02 - Thursday, 22 February 1990
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MR WOOD: Well, who is presenting it?
MR KAINE: Ask the former Chief Minister - she got the case.
Mr Speaker
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to you. I refer to a series of articles in the Canberra Chronicle credited to you which highlight the conflict of interest in your role as Speaker and as a member of the Government, which harms the Assembly and the tradition of an independent Speaker.
Mr Humphries: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. That question reflects on you as Speaker. It is entirely outside the terms of standing orders and should be disallowed.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you for your observation, Mr Humphries, but I would like to hear what Mr Berry has to say.
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I will table the two articles when I have finished the question. They were published in the northside and southside editions of the Chronicle on 13 February and 20 February, respectively. In the first of the articles you argued the Government's case for Executive Deputies and in the second you presented the business of the Assembly as consisting only of Government business - the meagreness of which is a matter of record - and Mr Stevenson's 15-minute introductory speech on X-rated videos. You failed to acknowledge that this house spent the whole of Wednesday, 14 February 1990 and part of Thursday, 15 February 1990 dealing with private members' business. Your column also failed to mention question time and to name the matters of public importance debated in this house.
Mr Speaker, do you approve of a situation where the convention of an independent Speaker is destroyed by a clear and public bias towards the Government's ventures? What action can the people of Canberra expect which will guarantee that the Assembly will not in future be brought into disrepute by such actions?
Mr Collaery: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I do not rise to protect you; I rise to protect your office. The second edition of House of Representatives Practice makes it clear that you should consider before answering this. Remember that this is the practice of the House of Representatives - that members seeking information of the Speaker should do so on a matter of order or privilege. If they do so wish, they must raise that matter under the appropriate procedure. Questions on such matters cannot be put to the Speaker as questions without notice.
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