Page 3646 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

Well, he can clarify the situation by issuing a clear Liberal Party policy on this matter rather than spending his entire time accusing me of breaching the human rights of students in non-government schools. It would be equally ridiculous for me to move a counter censure motion against Mr Doszpot for accusing me of breaching the human rights of students in non-government schools, because that is what he has been doing.

Mr Seselja: It is gutter politics, Andrew.

MR BARR: You are right, Zed; this motion is gutter politics. That is all this is about. There is nothing substantive in this censure motion, and everyone knows it. I imagine that 15 other people are pretty mystified about why this is even being brought on this morning. It is a stupid waste of the Assembly’s time. We all should move on. As I indicated in my letter to Mr Doszpot this morning, the uncertainty centres on Liberal Party policy. If he wishes to clarify Liberal Party policy by issuing a statement, the debate is over. Until then, there is uncertainty about what the Liberal Party’s position is on this matter. What we know is they do not like me and they are censuring me today. Fine. They are my political opponents; you expect censure motions of this nature. But I think if you go through the history of censure motions in this place, this would by vying for the weakest one ever. We should not be wasting the Assembly’s time on this matter. I urge members not to support this censure motion.

Motion (by Ms Bresnan) put:

That the debate be adjourned.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 9

Noes 6

Ms Bresnan

Ms Hunter

Mr Barr

Ms Porter

Mr Coe

Ms Le Couteur

Ms Burch

Mr Doszpot

Mr Rattenbury

Mr Corbell

Mrs Dunne

Mr Seselja

Ms Gallagher

Mr Hanson

Mr Hargreaves

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

MR SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan, is it your intention that this be adjourned to a later hour this day or a later sitting day?

MS Bresnan: Mr Speaker, a later sitting day.

MR SPEAKER: The question now is:

That the resumption of the debate be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

MR HANSON (Molonglo) (10.31): I move the following amendment:

Omit “the next sitting”, substitute “a later hour this day”.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .