Page 3489 - Week 09 - Thursday, 20 August 2009

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Mr Seselja: That is the question. It was borderline.

MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Silence, please. Mr Corbell, on the matter of public importance.

MR CORBELL: If you are going to take a point of order, I am happy to make the argument.

Mr Seselja: You do not have anything to say on the substantive matter, do you?

MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Silence, please.

MR CORBELL: I do not know what it is that the Liberal Party seems so het up about. I think everyone else is at a loss as well.

Adhering to the ministerial code of conduct ensures the long-term integrity of our political system and underpins ministerial responsibility. Ministers must uphold the high standards of probity, accountability, honesty, integrity and diligence in the exercise of their public duty functions. The ACT government’s code of conduct for ministers provides guidance to ministers on how they should act and arrange our affairs in order to uphold the required standards of behaviour.

Mrs Dunne: You chose not to listen to Mr Doszpot, otherwise you would have had to intervene on behalf of your colleague and you would not do that; you would rather eat ground glass.

MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, silence, please.

MR CORBELL: It lists the principles that apply in particular situations, drawing on precedent and accepted practice in the ACT and other Australian jurisdictions.

The obligations set out in the code are of course, as Ms Gallagher has highlighted, in addition to our obligations as members of the Assembly and the Legislative Assembly’s continuing resolution No 5, code of conduct for all members of the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory.

The ministerial code of conduct was updated on several occasions in 2002 and then again in 2005. It is appropriate that we continue to review the ministerial code of conduct to ensure it reflects the current community expectations of ministers and of the Assembly itself. The code is fundamentally sound and in keeping with the practices in place in other jurisdictions. In addition to incorporating amendments which reflect ACT nuances, it is encouraging to note that the code of conduct broadly aligns with codes in other jurisdictions.

Members would be well aware that, in establishing government following the election late last year, the government signed a parliamentary agreement with the Greens. A major element of that agreement related to reforms of the parliamentary system.

Adoption of the Latimer House principles was an important commitment which embraced a standard of ministerial and, I might add, parliamentary conduct. Members


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