Page 5263 - Week 12 - Thursday, 28 October 2010
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MR SESELJA: I know that Crispin Hull is the Greens’ nominee, because it was put to me by the Greens before this process started that he would be the best for the job. So clearly the lobbying has gone on from the Greens. That is their right. But our position is—
Ms Hunter: That is the most bizarre story all year.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Order, members! There is a speaking list; you can get on it if you are good.
MR SESELJA: Indeed. Our position is that there is a potential conflict of interest. We have got a situation where someone employed by a major media organisation in this town is being asked to make decisions in relation to decisions by government.
Members interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Members, will you cease conversations across the chamber, please. Otherwise, we shall do something about it.
MR SESELJA: Decisions by government which potentially have an impact on an employer and on the Canberra Times, which Mr Hull has written for over a long period of time. So there is no doubt. I raised those concerns. That is something that we could easily discuss, have negotiations on, come to a conclusion on. We have also looked at the entire list.
Members interjecting—
Mr Hanson: Mr Assistant Speaker, on a point of order, you have continually told those members opposite to stop interjecting. They are ignoring your direction. In order to be consistent—when the opposition has done such we have been warned by the Speaker—I would ask that you take on notice the continuing interjections and, if they continue to do so, warn those opposite.
Mr Corbell: People in glass houses, Jeremy. It is a big glass house around you, Jeremy.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Corbell, please do not place me in an invidious position. Mr Hanson, on your point of order: I will ask you to check the Hansard. You will notice that my entreaties to people to stop behaving like schoolchildren were aimed at both sides of the chamber—indeed, at those two immediately in front of me. I will not, let me tell you, put up with it much more. I do not care where people are in the chamber. I have asked people to engage in mature debate, and that will have to do. Mr Seselja, you have the floor.
MR SESELJA: Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. We have concerns about one in particular which we have raised. It would have been far more mature and sensible to have had a proper discussion and negotiation. I think we could have had a resolution very quickly. I think that can still happen with a decent discussion, but the
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