Page 378 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 February 2013
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, why did you allow Taylor Primary School to become so run down that the only option was to shut the school and inconvenience Tuggeranong families?
MS BURCH: I reject the proposition that Mr Wall has put there, that the Taylor school was left to be run down. That is not the circumstance. If you had visited Taylor school in your days, as did others over there—and I do note that we have three members from Brindabella among those opposite that went to the local community with a strong leadership team. And where is that leadership representing Tuggeranong now?
MADAM SPEAKER: Minister Burch, sit down.
Mr Coe: On a point of order, Madam Speaker, I wonder whether it would be appropriate for a member for Ginninderra to comment on the fact that the only minister from Ginninderra was dumped.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Coe, I think that was a frivolous point of order. I was about to draw Minister Burch’s attention to—
Mr Gentleman interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: I am making a ruling here, Mr Gentleman. I was about to draw Ms Burch’s attention to the fact that I am going to be quite insistent on answers being concise and directly relevant, and the make-up of the representation of members from the seat of Brindabella is not relevant to Mr Wall’s question, which was: why did you let the school get run down? Would you like to answer that question?
MS BURCH: Madam Speaker, with the time left, I do request that next time I am interrupted you stop the clock. As I said—
MADAM SPEAKER: Sit down, Ms Burch. Stop the clock on this occasion. The standing orders say that it is the Speaker’s discretion whether or not the clock will be stopped. You have 16 seconds to answer the question.
Mr Corbell: On your ruling, Madam Speaker—
MADAM SPEAKER: Stop the clock.
Mr Corbell: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would draw to your attention—and ask that you provide some further guidance to members—last Assembly it was frequently the case that members of the now opposition would ask that the clock be stopped during question time, particularly during points of order debates. That was a courtesy regularly extended by the then Speaker. I appreciate that this is a matter for you. I would ask that if you are going to vary from the position adopted by the former Speaker, you give some guidance to members on what circumstances you choose to ask that the clock be stopped and in what circumstances you do not.
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