Page 10 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 10 February 2015

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The current City to Lake Plans, which include major changes along the Parkes Way corridor, are currently recommending that two way access is provided between Allara Street and Parkes Way. This is likely to be a connection with a future service road type arrangement separated from the main Parkes Way through traffic.

Based upon the information provided above, I have agreed that works on constructing the connection from Parkes Way into Allara Street can proceed, with activity likely to start in February 2015.

Ms Joy Burch—portfolio responsibilities

Motion of no confidence

MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, I seek leave to move a motion of no confidence in Minister Joy Burch.

Leave not granted.

Standing and temporary orders—suspension

MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (10.28): I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Mr Hanson (Leader of the Opposition) from moving a motion of want of confidence in Minister Burch.

Madam Speaker, these are very important motions, and the tradition of this place in the majority of the 100-odd cases that have occurred is to deal with them immediately. They should be dealt with immediately. This is about not just the minister in her role but the future of the minister in the government. It is about the delivery of services to the people of the ACT, where we believe the majority of people in the ACT want this minister gone. We believe the debate should be brought on immediately.

If you look at the tradition in this place, in the 100-odd motions of no confidence and censure that have been moved, all but one or two have been dealt with immediately. Why? Because that is the priority. Apart from a motion of no confidence in the Chief Minister, these are perhaps the most high level motions that we move, and it is important that they are dealt with expeditiously and dealt with when they are moved.

To say, “We’ve got the numbers and we don’t care what you think,” shows disregard for the process that over the last 25-odd years has been established in this place, a process largely adhered to. Indeed, in other places that is how it is dealt with as well; that is the tradition of Westminster. If a minister does not have the confidence of this place, the minister should not be over there. The only way to determine whether the minister has the confidence of the chamber is to have this motion. That is why it should happen now; it should not be discarded by a government that has got the numbers, aided and abetted by others. It should be dealt with because it is important to the future and the stability of this place. They are the reasons that it should occur. It should be brought on now. There is no reason not to do it now. It should occur.


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