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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 2 Hansard (10 March) . . Page.. 502 ..


MR CORBELL

(continuing):

the Assembly. That is a far more serious accusation. It is a far more serious breach of the conventions that govern the administration through a parliamentary democracy such as ours.

If he has misled this Assembly, it is not a matter of grave concern; it is a matter for censure. It is a matter for censure, because our democracy is based on the foundation that the executive will not mislead the parliament. If we do not have that concept in place, the notions of accountability that go with having a parliament scrutinising the activities of the executive go out the window. If this Assembly today decides that it can just move grave concern in the Minister, then we are throwing out the window any ability to effectively scrutinise the activities of this Government.

He misled this place. I have provided members with five distinct examples of how he has misled this place and I have demonstrated that his claim that this is an independent study is fundamentally flawed, Mr Speaker. The Government may not like it; but they have been, to use Mr Osborne's words, caught out, and caught out badly. Mr Speaker, I do not think there is much more to be said. Quite clearly, the Minister claimed that it was an independent study. As late as yesterday afternoon he was still insisting that it was an independent study. We have shown that that is not the case. He has misled this place. He is responsible for the actions of his public servants, and he must be held responsible, through supporting this motion of censure.

Question put:

That the amendment (Mr Osborne's ) be agreed to.

The Assembly voted -

AYES, 8   	NOES, 7

Ms Carnell  	Mr Berry
Mr Cornwell  	Mr Corbell
Mr Hird  	Mr Kaine
Mr Humphries  	Mr Quinlan
Mr Osborne  	Mr Stanhope
Mr Rugendyke  	Ms Tucker
Mr Smyth  	Mr Wood
Mr Stefaniak
Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Sitting suspended from 12.42 to 2.30 pm


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