Page 3108 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 14 August 2012
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elected to do here as parliamentarians. We have agreed on the process and that has been discussed with each party, but I did just want to note our concern with that.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (12.15), in reply: I acknowledge the concerns raised by Ms Bresnan and they are shared by the government. The government would much rather be dealing with the significant number of bills and other matters that were scheduled for this two-week period.
That said, the convention and the custom and practice in this place, recognising the significance of the proposition put by the Leader of the Opposition, are that the Assembly not conduct a substantial amount of business prior to this debate on a no-confidence motion. In my view there are grounds for revisiting this custom, this convention, and the way that the standing order has been interpreted. But now is not the time to do that. You do not deal with this matter when it is a live issue before the Assembly.
I think it would be desirable that once this matter has been dealt with, all parties consider whether or not in future there is a need to continue this practice and that instead we can agree that the convention will be otherwise and that the Assembly will be able to transact other business. I think that is a reasonable approach to the issue but it is not one that should be considered in the heat of an upcoming debate on a no-confidence motion in the Chief Minister, a no-confidence motion that in the government’s view is misjudged and completely unnecessary.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Adjournment
Motion (by Mr Corbell) agreed to:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Assembly adjourned at 12.17 pm until Wednesday, 22 August 2012, at 10 am.
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