Page 806 - Week 02 - Thursday, 23 February 2012

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Canberra Liberals director of electorate services would have been there so that he could at least report back to the elected Liberal representatives from Ginninderra on the views that were expressed by the Belconnen community that night. As you can imagine, I was dismayed when I discovered that the director—

Mr Coe interjecting—

MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Hargreaves): Mr Coe. That will do, thanks.

MS PORTER: of electorate services for the Canberra Liberals, Mr Seselja’s hand-picked lieutenant, who is the Canberra Liberals’ eyes and ears, was nowhere to be seen.

As well as conducting my regular mobile offices at shopping centres around the electorate of Ginninderra, I attend many community events. I regret to further advise the Assembly that I have yet to see the director of electorate services at any of these shopping centres. I believe that the best way to understand what people’s concerns are is to speak with them face to face, but perhaps the director of electorate services obtains views by some form of osmosis, because he does not seem to be actually meeting many people, if any.

By way of example, I attended all of the meetings about the future of the Hawker shops except the one that the Friends of Hawker Village refused to let me or other MLAs attend.

Mr Hanson: Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Ms Porter, one moment, thank you. Stop the clocks. Yes, Mr Hanson.

Mr Hanson: On a point of order, I seek your ruling. This Assembly has determined a process to examine the processes whereby the director of electorate services is employed. That process is underway. Ms Porter is giving a dissertation and a view. I ask for your ruling on whether she is trying to in any way influence unduly a process that has been established by this Assembly and whether there would be any standing order or ruling that you might consider, given what Ms Porter is attempting to do.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, on the point of order, at this point I do not think Ms Porter has done the things you have suggested, but I will keep an eye on the speech and if there are any issues that come down that path I will speak to Ms Porter. Ms Porter, you have the floor to continue.

MS PORTER: By way of example, I attended all of the meetings on the future of the Hawker shops, except the one that the Friends of Hawker Village refused to let me and other MLAs attend. I was also present at many of the drop-in sessions and I cannot recall ever seeing the Canberra Liberals’ director of electorate services.

You can imagine my dismay, Mr Speaker, when on Tuesday morning I heard Mr Seselja on ABC 666 tell Ross Solly this: “I understand the Friends of Hawker


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