Page 4314 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
to notify his office. I reviewed the protocol, which clearly states that, where attendance is at the initiative of the school—that is, that the school sends the invitation—as it was in this case, there is no obligation whatsoever on the part of the visiting member to contact the minister’s office. The obligation was on the part of the school, and I had no way of knowing this had not been done.
I ask that the minister withdraw the claim that I breached the protocol because I certainly did not. I would imagine that Mr Coe and maybe Ms Burch would also appreciate the correction, as neither of them was in breach of the protocol either.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Planning and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation): I would draw the member’s attention to the Department of Education and Training’s policies and procedures in relation to MLA visits to schools. It has been on the department’s website for a decade or thereabouts. Certainly members should be aware of that. I have written to members to remind them of that.
I repeat, for members’ advice, that they should look to the policies and protocols. And I acknowledge there was a breakdown in those for everyone concerned. So let us not make a massive thing about this. For the future, I did not—
MR SPEAKER: Order! I think the point has been made.
MR BARR: I have not been raising this. I have been responding.
Mr Hanson: You have been talking on the radio on it, though, mate.
MR BARR: I have been—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Barr, sit down, thank you. I think Mr Barr has made the point. There is not a procedural motion to have a substantive debate. I think you have made your observation. We will now move on.
MR COE (Ginninderra): I seek leave to make a statement under standing order 46.
MR SPEAKER: With regard to?
MR COE: With regard to misrepresentation.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Further to what Ms Hunter said, some members of this place may not be aware that Mr Barr actually told 2CC radio yesterday that I was in breach of the protocol. That was running yesterday on the radio. I think that such a comment is totally inappropriate and I would request that Mr Barr take appropriate action to remedy the situation.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Planning and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation): Mr Speaker, under standing order 46, I have made no such comments to
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video