Page 4683 - Week 15 - Thursday, 16 December 1993
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MADAM SPEAKER: I have already ruled that if you want to accuse the Chief Minister of misleading the Assembly you can do so under a substantive motion. The Chief Minister will proceed.
MS FOLLETT: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To cast a formal vote a voter will have the choice of either numbering preferences for at least as many candidates as there are vacancies in the electorate in the order of his or her choice, or adopting a party voting ticket.
Mr Humphries: I take a point of order. Madam Speaker, standing order 168 refers to the need for a Bill, when being presented, to conform with a notice which has been lodged with the Assembly on the day before indicating what the terms of that particular Bill might be. I would ask you, as Speaker of the Assembly: Has a notice of that kind been delivered pursuant to standing order 168, and did the terms of that notice clearly indicate that this was a deceitful piece of legislation designed to thwart the objectives of the referendum?
MADAM SPEAKER: That is completely out of order, Mr Humphries. You may not call it deceitful. I will get advice from the Clerk with reference to standing order 168, but I would caution you not to use emotive language when you are proceeding on a point of order.
Mr Humphries: It is an emotive issue, Madam Speaker.
Mrs Carnell: It is also a total sham.
Mr Berry: That is right; it is all emotions because you have been shown up for what you are.
Mr Humphries: You must be ashamed.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! Members, I am standing. Let us have some order! The Clerk has pointed out to me that the notice was in accordance with standing order 168. The Chief Minister will proceed.
MS FOLLETT: Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the event that it is not possible to fill a casual vacancy by the recount method, where no candidates are available to contest the recount, the Assembly will choose a person to fill the casual vacancy in substantially the same manner as is currently set out in section 68 of the self-government Act. Madam Speaker, the right to be grouped on the ballot-paper is unclear in the referendum options description sheet.
Mr De Domenico: To whom?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, if members had read it, they would know that. To ensure that the registration process for parties is effective, only candidates from registered political parties can be grouped on the ballot-paper. Consequently, only registered political parties will be able to lodge a party voting ticket.
Madam Speaker, I turn now to those other features of the Bill which were not covered by the referendum options description sheet. Members will appreciate that the Hare-Clark system is but a small part of the matters dealt with in this Bill.
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