Page 2564 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 8 August 1990
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MR ACTING SPEAKER: Before anyone rises to speak on this, I have a statement to make. Before I make that statement, I just want to clarify one thing while we have the Government law officers here.
I believe they deserve a response from a possible suggestion made by Mr Moore when he made his speech some minutes ago that the Government Law Office is, by virtue of its proximity to government, open to any influence by the Attorney-General. I understand that both the Attorney-General and the Shadow Attorney-General, Mr Connolly, support the remarks I am about to make.
I think that Mr Moore overlooked the fact that the Speaker seeks his advice direct from the Government Law Office. The Attorney-General plays no part in the formulation of that advice and certainly I have every confidence in the Government Law Office. Both Mr Collaery and his counterpart on the Opposition benches want their views on their confidence in the Government Law Office made known and accordingly I do so.
In relation to the Royal Canberra Hospital Bill 1990 and the Ainslie Transfer= Station Bill 1990 - and what I have to say refers to both - members may recall that on 6 June 1990 the Attorney-General raised points of order following the introduction of both the Royal Canberra Hospital Bill 1990 and the Ainslie Transfer Station Bill 1990.
In raising his points of order Mr Collaery drew the Speaker's attention to both standing order 200 and section 65 of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988. Mr Speaker undertook to examine each of the Bills and report back to the Assembly with a ruling on these matters after obtaining advice. Advice was sought on the matter from the Government Law Office and in addition Mr Connolly wrote to Mr Speaker on 7 June on the matter as well. The Assembly's standing order 200 provides:
An enactment, vote, resolution or question, the object or effect of which is to dispose of or charge any public money of the Territory, shall not be proposed in the Assembly except by a Minister. Money proposals may be introduced by a Minister without notice.
Section 65(1) of the self-government Act provides:
An enactment, vote, resolution or question (any of which is in this section called a "proposal") the object or effect of which is to dispose of or charge any public money of the Territory shall not be proposed in the Assembly except by a Minister.
Subsection (2) states:
Subsection (1) does not prevent a member other than a Minister from moving an amendment to a
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