Page 725 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 February 2010
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Mr Barr: That’s right, twice. Unlike Mr Smyth, who used call-in powers on the dual occupancy.
MR SESELJA: He does interject; he is sensitive on this point again. I think perhaps, Madam Deputy Speaker, you might highlight the raw nerve that has been touched again.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, I think we are dealing with a gross exaggeration at the moment, not raw nerves, Mr Seselja. Can you just continue.
MR SESELJA: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Is that politics in planning or not? I am not sure.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think that is what they are reacting to.
Mr Hanson: Excuse me, on a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker: offering commentary on Mr Seselja’s speech is inappropriate. If it is in contravention of the standing orders, then you can rule, but to simply be offering commentary from the chair on what he is saying and his rationale for that is most inappropriate from the Deputy Speaker.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you very much. I will not offer any more commentary on his speech, including not commenting about raw nerves, Mr Seselja, which you did not object to—
MR SESELJA: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I did enjoy some of your commentary, I have got to admit.
But that is the question for the minister: when you develop your policies on the back of slogans, what does it mean? We do not subscribe to the view that there should never be a call-in. When I was asked about the dam, for instance, and whether that should have been called in, I said I thought that was probably reasonable. I did not criticise the minister. I had the opportunity to criticise the minister, but I said, “No, I’d like to see the dam go ahead.” We need water security. The government has been slow on water security, and we do not want to see the dam delayed for another six months. So we believe that was a reasonable use of the call-in powers. But is it politics in planning? It was a political decision made by a minister. It is not at arm’s length from the minister, so what does it mean? It becomes meaningless when you actually break it down and look at the practice. It becomes meaningless because—
Mr Barr: It really drives you insane, doesn’t it? You really don’t like it.
MR SESELJA: Sorry? I could not quite hear the interjections, Madam Deputy Speaker—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, take no notice of the interjections.
MR SESELJA: I know that I should not respond to them anyway, but it is difficult when you just hear a little bit of a mumble from the other side. Perhaps if he was
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