Page 1023 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 1990
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that Mr Whalan puts a great many straws on this particular camel's back. I can see no reason why he deserves any special consideration in this regard. Personally, I think that Mr Whalan has repeatedly and, as far as I can tell, quite carelessly offended against the standing orders of this Assembly. Unless he is prepared to show some change of heart, I will be insisting every time that these standing orders are followed.
MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition) (3.10): I support Mr Moore in his motion to suspend standing orders so that we can consider this matter. I believe, Mr Speaker, that we all have quite a way to go before this Assembly well and truly settles down and operates as a decision-making and legislation-making body that the ACT community can have some faith in, and can indeed be proud of.
The behaviour that has been exhibited in this Assembly does not give me a great deal of encouragement that that will be the case in the immediate future, but the important thing is that there has been fault on both sides of the house. It has certainly been the case that there has been a great deal of disruption in this Assembly and that members have exhibited the kind of behaviour which, frankly, makes me very ashamed to be here from time to time.
I believe that we all need to attend to and give some thought to the kinds of standards that we are prepared to accept in this Assembly.
Since yesterday we have all had a chance to reflect, and I know for a fact that we have all reflected upon the incidents that arose yesterday and have made resolutions to do better. I think that the motion that Mr Moore is now putting forward is in the spirit of that reflection, that we are no longer in the heat of yesterday's battle, the heat of debate, that led many members to say things which they would not normally say and of which they must be thoroughly ashamed. And they were not all on this side of the house, Mr Speaker, I assure you.
I know that everybody has had a chance to reflect on that. I urge everybody to try to impose some discipline on each member of their teams so that such incidents will never occur again. I believe that the decision to suspend Mr Whalan was taken in very heated circumstances. The point has been made, it has been dealt with by this Assembly and I support Mr Moore in his attempt to say, "Okay, that happened; it was dealt with but now let us get on". We have all had a chance to think about that behaviour, to resolve to do better in the future, so now let us get on with it.
MR COLLAERY (Attorney-General) (3.13): Mr Speaker, this side of the house would be prepared to support this motion if we received written confirmation from Mr Whalan, and his appearance at the bar of the chamber, assuring us that he apologises for his recent conduct, and accepts the remarks made by his leader.
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