Page 1467 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 7 May 2008
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Wednesday, 7 May 2008
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.
Matters of public importance
Speaker’s ruling
MR SPEAKER: This morning, members of the opposition each lodged an MPI concerning the impact of stamp duty on housing affordability for first home buyers. Standing order 130 states that a matter on the notice paper must not be anticipated by a matter of public importance, an amendment or other less effective form of proceeding. Private members’ business notice No 5 listed on today’s notice paper, lodged by Mr Seselja, also concerns matters relating to stamp duty affordability for first home buyers. Accordingly, I have ruled that the MPIs submitted by those members are out of order, and they were not included in the ballot for today’s MPI.
Projects of Territory Importance Bill 2008
Mr Smyth, pursuant to notice, presented the bill and its explanatory statement.
Title read by Clerk.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (10.34): I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
The question is: why are we here today—and why has the opposition tabled this bill?
Mr Hargreaves: That is a very good question.
MR SMYTH: I hear the laughter from those opposite. They are, in effect, laughing at themselves. We are here today because since 2003 this government has failed the communities of Macarthur and Fadden. Indeed, for the last seven years it has failed the business community in the ACT.
Mr Hargreaves: You were in government in 2003.
MR SMYTH: We were in government in 2003, says Mr Hargreaves. That is why Mr Hargreaves is not Treasurer. What has happened to this particular community over the last five years is a sad indictment of the government’s respect for the people of Macarthur—indeed, for the people of all of the ACT. Over the last five years there have been numerous attacks on this community from this government.
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