Page 488 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 17 February 2016

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I commend Mr Doszpot for bringing this motion today, to shine a spotlight onto what is happening with the concessions program and try and get some answers out of the Chief Minister. Of course, all he does is talk about the Liberals instead of actually answering the questions. I commend Mr Doszpot’s motion to the Assembly.

MR DOSZPOT (Molonglo) (11.45): I will speak to the amendment, Madam Deputy Speaker. I must say I was quite astounded by Mr Barr’s outburst regarding what was basically, as we pointed out, our concern for the community. The disadvantaged and the lower earners in our community will be most affected by the changes that Mr Barr has mooted in his front-page article. Even though he claims he has made no decisions, he made very clear statements regarding the direction in which he was heading, without reading all of the submissions that have come in. You may shake your head, Mr Barr, but you had already made up your mind as to what you were going to do.

I was also quite intrigued by Mr Barr’s personal attack on me and on the opposition—that all of this is actually the fault of everyone else. According to him, he is being forced to take this position because of the federal government. According to him, it is because of my scaremongering; it is because of the opposition. Mr Barr, it is time you took responsibility for your own actions. You have made decisions—

Mr Gentleman: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Stop the clock. What is your point of order, Mr Gentleman?

Mr Gentleman: The standing orders ask members to refer their comments through the chair. Mr Doszpot has referred comments directly to Mr Barr on two occasions. He should refer his comments through the chair.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Doszpot, will you refer all your comments through the chair, please?

MR DOSZPOT: I will, Madam Deputy Speaker. I note that Mr Gentleman’s contribution to these debates seems only to be about the enormity of my—

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sit down, Mr Doszpot. I do not want a commentary about the ruling. I have upheld Mr Gentleman’s point of order. I asked you not to refer to people across the chamber but to address your comments through me. We do not need a further discussion about that ruling.

MR DOSZPOT: Madam Deputy Speaker, I am not making any comment on your ruling; I am simply referring to Mr Gentleman’s ability to contribute to any debate in this place apart from bringing up points of order which have little relevance to the actual content of what we are debating. But—

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Doszpot, sit down. They do have relevance because they relate to a point of order. That is the whole point. Members can stand in their place and raise a point of order; the chair then has the ability to decide whether that point of order is valid or not, and I have done so. We do not need to talk about the


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