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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 4 Hansard (27 March) . . Page.. 934 ..
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, the reality is that there are, under the Hare-Clark system, no such things as safe seats. That is the basic problem that the persons referred to, and their allies, are bridling at. Hare-Clark is a fair system. The recommendations of the Aird-Beacham report a few years ago suggested that all concerned should accept that fact. Unfortunately, it has not been taken very seriously in some quarters, Mr Speaker, as comments by others-
Mr Corbell: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: in what capacity can the Chief Minister stand in this place and, as part of his portfolio responsibilities, make not only comment but state outcomes of an internal review in the Labor Party? In what capacity is he able to do such a thing? It is completely out of order, Mr Speaker.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I ask members opposite to ask themselves whether they have ever commented on the internal politics of the Liberal Party.
Mr Corbell: On the point of order, Mr Speaker: ministers can be asked questions related to their portfolio responsibility. I simply ask you how an internal review of the Australian Labor Party has anything to do with the Chief Minister's responsibilities.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, it is again profoundly ridiculous to have-
Mr Corbell: Are you going to rule, Mr Speaker?
MR HUMPHRIES: I am speaking to the point of order.
MR SPEAKER: I am reading this. Order, please! I do not believe, Chief Minister, that it is possible to know whether or not the recommendations of the report have been implemented by the Labor Party, so I do not think you can categorically state that, but you can certainly suggest that it has not been done. That is entirely up to you. You did categorically state that, and I uphold Mr Corbell's point of order on that point.
MR HUMPHRIES: I withdraw the suggestion that they have categorically rejected the Aird-Beacham report and would suggest that it seems to me, and everybody else who would be observing this process, that the report's recommendations in that respect are in tatters.
Mr Hargreaves: What?
Mr Quinlan: You would love to think so, wouldn't you.
MR HUMPHRIES: The Hare-Clark electoral system is not unfair to women. Mr Speaker, I seek your upholding of the standing orders in respect of my capacity to speak.
MR SPEAKER: Yes. Silence, please.
MR HUMPHRIES
: There is nothing about the Hare-Clark electoral system which makes it difficult for women to be elected. There is plenty that political parties can do in the context of a Hare-Clark election to ensure that women are not elected, and what we are seeing in comments by Mr Kerrisk and Mr Berry is a softening up of the electorate in
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