Page 721 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 May 1992
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What you will see on Canberra's roads at the moment are vehicles with government plates, often at night with lots of flashing lights and drills, going around the urban road network and getting drill cores so that we can get a picture, for the first time ever, of the real state of repair of Canberra's roads infrastructure. This is doing far more than just patching up potholes; it is a process of seeing what our road network is like so that we can make sensible long-term investment decisions. I saw one the other night when going home from the late sitting of the Assembly. Canberra residents may see these strange vehicles travelling very slowly or stopping on the roads and putting down their corer drill. It is for a very sensible reason - to save long-term government infrastructure dollars.
Ms Follett: I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper, Madam Speaker.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND TEMPORARY ORDERS
MR HUMPHRIES (3.03): I move:
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent Mrs Carnell from making a statement dealing with comments of Mr Berry on Tuesday regarding Vietnamese nurses and with the Speaker's ruling on the same matter.
Mr Berry: No way - not until we get some advance notice of what it is about.
MR HUMPHRIES: We have given a copy of the motion to a number of members in the chamber, including the Speaker. But I will explain why it is that this suspension is being sought. There was an exchange in this Assembly during question time on Tuesday of this week. Those of us in the Liberal Party in particular feel that that exchange was very unfortunate because of some of the precedents it set for the way in which matters can be handled in this chamber with respect to comments made by members and with respect to the application of the standing orders.
Mr Berry: "It smacks of racist overtones"?
MR HUMPHRIES: The term is being used again now in the chamber, Madam Speaker, and I feel strongly that the situation ought to be cleared up. I believe, and my party believes, that what happened set dangerous precedents. I also believe that this matter should be set to rest as soon as possible. A statement has been prepared; and I understand, Madam Speaker, that you have seen the statement. I understand also that you feel that it would be potentially in breach of standing orders, and therefore it might be struck down under one of the standing orders dealing with dissent from rulings by the Chair.
I do not believe that we can reasonably be asked to wait, in effect, a month from the date on which this matter was first raised in the Assembly before we can do something about it, as would be the case if it were necessary to give notice before the matter could come before the Assembly in the next sitting fortnight. I think this is an important matter, and I therefore ask the Assembly to support the suspension of standing orders to allow Mrs Carnell to make the statement which I have referred to.
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