Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 9 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 2178 ..

Mr Moore: Harold, just say exactly what it is.

Mr Hird: I just said exactly what is in there.

MR SPEAKER: Order! The media release is issued under the name of Rosemary Follett, MLA, Leader of the Opposition.

Ms Follett: And it is a very good release, too. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: I have not read it, Ms Follett, so I really cannot comment on that. It does state in paragraph 2:

... the Chair Roberta McRae, had expressed a strong view to the Government on where its priorities should lie and where cost-cutting was clearly unacceptable.

Ms McRae: Mr Speaker, as a point of order: I think it is only fair that you read the entire paragraph. It does not say "the Chair, Ms McRae", on her own. That is the point I am making and it is not my press release. Would you please read the entire paragraph?

MR SPEAKER: Very well. I have already read the heading on the media release, which is from the Leader of the Opposition. I will, however, read the paragraph.

Ms McRae: Thank you.

MR SPEAKER: It states:

Ms Follett said that the Estimates Committee, which consisted of two Liberal Party members, Independent Michael Moore and Green Kerrie Tucker, as well as Labor's Andrew Whitecross and the Chair Roberta McRae, had expressed a strong view to the Government on where its priorities should lie and where cost-cutting was clearly unacceptable.

I uphold the point of order because my reading of the paragraph indicates that it was a comment from Ms Follett that referred to the entire Estimates Committee.

Ms McRae: That is a good ruling, Mr Speaker. Thank you.

Mr Hird: Quits.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MS TUCKER (11.40): Mr Speaker, the Select Committee on Estimates is obviously a very important part of the budget process and, as this was my first year on this committee, the experience was a challenging and interesting one. While I recognise that there has to be a limit to the time available, it is my belief that the process was severely truncated, thus making it sometimes difficult to deal with issues appropriately.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .