Page 3601 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 25 August 2009
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is about. It is not about the Assembly being able to respond to its constituents. It is not about the Assembly getting on with its business in an orderly way. It is about Mr Corbell simply having his way when he wants it.
A little bit of courtesy would have gone a long way in this. There are forms. If you go to House of Representatives Practice, it talks about this. We could have just had this tabled and been into the MPI by now. But no. Mr Corbell, because he wants it his way or no way, will attempt to do this on the majority of occasions, as he has done so often over the past years.
It is reasonable to do it in this way. It is a petition. By any stretch, by any definition, it is a petition from a group of members of the community through their representative to this Assembly that something happen on their behalf. In that manner it should be treated as such. Courtesy was given. It was given to both parties. It could have been done quickly; it could have been done efficiently. The only thing that stands between us and the good governance of this place is Mr Corbell.
Question resolved in the affirmative, with the concurrence of an absolute majority.
Mr Smyth: Leave is granted.
Mr Corbell: Leave is not granted; the standing orders are suspended.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra): I table an out-of-order petition signed by 33 citizens who are employees of the Pace Farm in west Belconnen, outlining their views on the Greens’ proposed Eggs (Cage Systems) Legislation Amendment Bill 2009. These citizens state:
I have recently read a number of articles in Canberra press about the Greens intent to introduce a Bill to amend the animal welfare Act …
Mr Corbell: On a point of order, Madam Assistant Speaker: I think we have given Mrs Dunne leave to table the so-called out-of-order petition. We have not given her leave to make a statement.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Burch): Mrs Dunne, can you—
MRS DUNNE: I am not seeking leave to make a statement. I am familiarising the house with the terms of the petition.
Mr Corbell: On a point of order, Madam Assistant Speaker: the suspension of standing orders was simply to permit Mrs Dunne to table the document. She has done so. If she wishes to do anything else in relation to this matter, she will need to seek leave to do so. Given that there is no question before the chair, she will need to seek leave to make a statement.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, you did seek to table. There was no acceptance of the tabling statement. Have you tabled the documents?
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