Page 3437 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 17 August 2011
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The reality is that in a town of our size that is as long and as wide as it is with a relatively low population, the motor vehicle is going to remain an essential part of our way of life. Families cannot just say: “Well, we’re going to pare down to one car. We’re going to have everybody piling into the”—I can’t remember the name of the car that Ms Le Couteur drives—
Mrs Dunne: A Smart car.
MR HANSON: A Smart car, thank you. For many families, both parents, or a couple if they do not have kids, have to work. If they are going to pay their rent or their mortgage, they both need to work. Trying to pay rent or the mortgage without both of you working is nigh on impossible. If you have kids, if you have got to drop them at school, pick them up from school, you need a car.
The reality is that the public transport system in this town is never going to be able to cope so that people will relinquish their cars. Although there is significant room for improvement—only eight per cent of people use public transport—the idea that you can get a sufficient number of people to stop using their cars to free up all of the car parking spaces is fanciful. It is just not going to happen. So the motor vehicle is a long-term part of Canberra’s future.
Motion (by Mr Hargreaves) proposed:
That the question be now put.
MR SPEAKER: Under standing order 70 the Speaker is required to consider whether such a motion is an abuse of the rules. I understand that the practice in this place is that the Speaker has taken into consideration how much debate has taken place on a matter. I consider that, given the number of members who have spoken, there has been adequate debate on this topic and the motion can now be put.
Mrs Dunne: On the question of whether the motion can be put, is it usual practice that the mover can conclude? I honestly do not know.
MR SPEAKER: No.
Mr Hargreaves: Read the standing orders.
Mrs Dunne: I am asking guidance of the Speaker, not you.
MR HARGREAVES: Just read the standing orders; you are the expert.
MR SPEAKER: My advice and my understanding are that we move immediately to the vote.
Mr Hanson: I have got some good bits on electric cars to come, if you want to—
MR SPEAKER: We have to put the question that the motion be now put. There will be a vote on that and then we will put the motion.
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