Page 2143 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 6 June 2018

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It is something that has been a long time in the making. Apparently, according to the minister’s points today, he has had a number of meetings with stakeholders over that time. I look forward to learning more about that process, how many meetings there have been and how long they have taken. I will leave it there. I thank all members for their commitment. I look forward to the appointment of the chief engineer.

Amendments agreed to.

Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.

At 6 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the motion for the adjournment of the Assembly was put and negatived.

Senator for the Australian Capital Territory—casual vacancy

MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (6.00): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes:

(a) the ruling of the High Court of Australia that Ms Katy Gallagher was ineligible under the Australian Constitution to stand as a candidate for election to the Australian Senate at the 2016 Federal election;

(b) the Chief Minister’s motion presented to and passed by the Assembly on 25 March 2015, calling on the Assembly to choose Ms Gallagher to fill a casual vacancy in the Australian Senate;

(d) in light of the High Court’s ruling, it appears the Chief Minister inadvertently misled the Assembly; and

(e) it follows that the Assembly, through the Chief Minister, inadvertently misled the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and, thus, the Australian Parliament as to Ms Gallagher’s eligibility to fill the casual vacancy; and

(2) calls on the Chief Minister to:

(a) correct the Assembly’s record; and

(b) write to the Governor-General, apologising for the Assembly’s inadvertent mislead.

The Chief Minister may roll his eyes, but this is a very simple and straightforward motion. I know that the matter of Ms Gallagher’s citizenship has been ventilated in this place on a number of occasions. I note the Chief Minister’s amendment. I thank him for the courtesy of having it circulated before I got up to speak so that I had some time to consider it.

Madam Speaker, I want to put on the record something that I have raised before. This motion is brought forward because of my concern that, in March 2015, the ACT Legislative Assembly was misled by the provision of a statutory declaration that

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