Page 1490 - Week 05 - Thursday, 7 April 2005

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Question put:

That Mrs Dunne’s motion be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 7

Noes 10

Mrs Burke

Mr Smyth

Mr Berry

Mr Hargreaves

Mrs Dunne

Mr Stefaniak

Mr Corbell

Ms MacDonald

Mr Mulcahy

Dr Foskey

Ms Porter

Mr Pratt

Ms Gallagher

Mr Quinlan

Mr Seselja

Mr Gentleman

Mr Stanhope

Question so resolved in the negative.

Minister for Health and Minister for Planning

Motion of want of confidence

MR SMYTH (Brindabella—Leader of the Opposition) (10.53): I seek leave to move a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Health, Minister for Planning and Manager of Government Business, Mr Corbell.

Leave granted.

MR SMYTH: I move:

That the Assembly expresses a lack of confidence in Mr Corbell (Minister for Health, Minister for Planning and Manager of Government Business).

We have been forced into this sorry state of moving a motion of no confidence in the minister because the proper processes have not been followed. When serious allegations are raised of this nature, the appropriate thing is for the matter to go to a privileges committee. They are serious matters because they talk about the membership of a committee of this Assembly and the control of that committee. The facts of what has occurred should be able to be put on the table. I will leave that to others to do, but the fact that we are not being given the opportunity to air what people think is a serious matter is of grave concern to me, and I believe it is of grave concern to the community.

Mr Corbell: Mr Speaker, I wish to raise a point of order. Mr Smyth cannot reflect on a vote of the Assembly. He is saying that he is unhappy with the decision of the Assembly not to have the matter raised by Mrs Dunne considered by a privileges committee. He is reflecting on a vote of the Assembly, and he is not permitted to do so.

MR SPEAKER: Yes. You cannot reflect on a previous vote, Mr Smyth.

MR SMYTH: I withdraw the reflection, Mr Speaker. When this kafuffle first arose we had some concerns about the process. Initially, perhaps as you decided, we thought that it was perhaps just to do with the argy-bargy of politics, but we looked at it more and sought advice. The advice we were given, and references in both House of


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