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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 9 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 3139 ..

Tuesday, 26 August 2003

The Assembly met at 10.30 am.

(Quorum formed.)

MR SPEAKER (Mr Berry) took the chair and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

Personal explanation

MRS CROSS: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement under standing order 46.

MR SPEAKER: You may proceed.

MRS CROSS: Mr Speaker, on the last sitting day, I was inadvertently embroiled in a situation that I found both upsetting and embarrassing because of the absolute pettiness of certain people in this place. The Civil Wrongs (Amendment) Bill debated last Thursday was a large and important bill and we, as members, took the job of scrutinising it very seriously. Certainly the members of the crossbench took it seriously.

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Cross, this is a personal explanation. I do not want to discourage you from dealing with personal issues, but you should not stray to a debate that has occurred about a bill.

MRS CROSS: No, it is a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: Proceed.

MRS CROSS: Mr Speaker, there were many amendments, as you will remember. The crossbench members, in particular, provided a raft of amendments which were designed to deal with issues that caused concern. I do believe that many of those amendments would have improved that bill and not had adverse effects in the end.

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Cross, you are reflecting on a vote and that is disorderly. There has been a vote on that bill and that would be a reflection on the will of this chamber.

MRS CROSS: I am not interested in changing the vote on that bill, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: No, but you are reflecting on the vote and it is not open for you under the standing orders to do that.

MRS CROSS: My intention is not to reflect on the vote. My intention is simply to reflect on the manner in which my amendment was handled.

MR SPEAKER: Proceed.

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