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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 13 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3735 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

There is potentially nothing under the legislation, as it stands, to stop Mrs Cross nominating Mr David Cross-a member of good standing in the Liberal Party. "Senator Cross" sounds all right. That is something the Assembly will have to entertain, should it arise. There are a whole range of past members, if you think of it.

Mr Hargreaves: How about Senator Burke-Senator Jacqui Burke?

MR STANHOPE: Senator Burke. The elder statesman of the Liberal Party, Mr Kaine, could be invited back into the fold.

Mr Hargreaves: Senator Harold Hird.

MR STANHOPE: Harold Hird-Senator Hird-think about that. Tony De Domenico? Senator De Domenico.

Mr Pratt: Could somebody cross the floor-Senator Wood?

MR STANHOPE: That is right. There are a whole range of possibilities. Senator Strokowsky-he is looking for a new job. That is a possibility. Actually, maybe he has the numbers. Maybe that is what it is all about-he has taken the numbers with him. Mr Stefaniak is looking a bit worried about that. He is a significant member of the Belconnen branch of the Liberal Party. How are the numbers looking out at Belconnen? You or Strokowsky? There is food for thought!

There is the complex issue of what processes the Assembly is going to use if it is left to the Assembly to decide this matter. I think that is an issue for us-whether there is a convention or not. I have heard of a former Chief Minister-this goes to the heart of Mr Hargreaves' question-being a definite candidate. Once again, he is blushing a little bit and pretending. "Well, if the people call me, I will do it. If my people call me, I will come."

She is a bit concerned about the attitude I might take. I am not quite sure what Mrs Carnell is referring to-other than the fact that, the last time Mrs Carnell's name was mentioned in this place, it was basically in the context of a no-confidence motion-and she bolted before it could be moved. Maybe Mrs Carnell is reflecting on that. She could raise the spectre of Albert Field and Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen in relation to her concerns about the process we might utilise here in the Assembly.

I think she was worried about the other part of section 44-that if a casual vacancy arises, other than when the Assembly is sitting, it is in fact the Chief Minister who gets to decide; the Assembly process is short-circuited. There is some real interest in the question: when Senator Reid does pull the plug, will she be perverse to the end? Will she, after a life of steady service to the people of Canberra, in a last mad rash of perversity, retire-perhaps at Christmas-and delegate to me the task of nominating a replacement? Wouldn't that be interesting?

I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.

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