Page 2852 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 15 August 1990
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Mr Collaery: Mr Speaker, there is no debate on this. The motion is passed, and he has 10 minutes. He has not had a chance to speak yet.
MR SPEAKER: Order! I will take advice. I did not hear that. The Speaker and the Clerk heard the motion as an extension of time. We did not hear that it was for a further 10 minutes. Please proceed.
Mr Connolly: You have 45 seconds, Gary. Go for it.
MR HUMPHRIES: I am not going to sit down without having said anything, Mr Speaker. I move the suspension of so much of standing orders - - -
Mr Moore: Seek leave first.
MR HUMPHRIES: You are going to refuse it, aren't you? I seek leave to speak for a further 10 minutes.
Leave granted.
MR HUMPHRIES: I am not going back to some of the debate which others have raised in this place. I will go straight to an issue which I think will show the sheer hypocrisy of those opposite. I intend to prove that their stand now, in saying that section 65 should not shield a government, is totally in contradiction to what they said when they were in government. I refer members to the debate in the Legislative Assembly on 2 November last year in respect of an amendment moved by Mr Stevenson to the Bill that affected the staffing of members of the Assembly, the Legislative Assembly (Members' Staff) Bill.
Mr Duby: The LA(MS) Bill.
MR HUMPHRIES: The LA(MS) Bill. There was debate at that time, and Mr Stevenson moved an amendment which had the effect of permitting private members the right to engage consultants. Debate ensued about whether that amendment could be carried to the Bill which was put forward by the Government in the house. The question was raised as to whether section 65 of the Federal self-government Act would prevent Mr Stevenson's amendment. Ms Follett, the Chief Minister at the time, said, about section 65:
Mr Speaker, I support totally the comments made by the acting deputy legislative counsel and, in order to clarify the reason why I support his view, I would like to read to the Assembly the appropriate part of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988. In section 65(1) it says -
Then she quoted it. She went on to say:
Now, quite clearly, for the acting - - -
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