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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 4 Hansard (16 April) . . Page.. 940 ..

MR WHITECROSS (continuing):

Let us not have any of this nonsense from the Government that somehow or other the former Government sacked lots of people. Employment went up under Labor. Mr Howard proposes to bring it down. Let us not be under any illusions.

The Chief Minister needs to do something about this. Her response to the threats by John Howard and the other Ministers was weak and insipid: "At least tell us how many you are going to sack". Mrs Carnell today says, "I asked for more money". Mrs Carnell asked for more money after I and Mr Kaine made the suggestion to her.

Mrs Carnell: No, it was not. It was last week.

MR WHITECROSS: Mrs Carnell's only response last week was, "Please tell us how many you are going to sack, so that we know how many you are going to sack".

MR SPEAKER: Order! The member's time has expired.

MR WHITECROSS: I ask for an extension, in view of the time wasted by Mr Humphries.

MR SPEAKER: Not on an MPI.

Mr Berry: Yes, you can.

Mrs Carnell: You cannot have an extension on an MPI.

Mr Berry: I am telling you that it depends what the Assembly says. You want to block us. You played games with the time earlier. Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move for an extension of time.

Leave not granted.

MR SPEAKER: I remind members that there is a fixed time for matters of public importance.

MR BERRY (4.01): Mr Speaker, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the extension of the time allocated to the matter of public importance for the period of time normally granted to a member in extending their speaking time.

That is usually about seven minutes, on my understanding. Mr Moore wants to gag this. He was outside the chamber while all the funny business was going on.

Mr Speaker, this unusual motion arises because there was a quite deliberate attempt by members opposite to soak up the time of the member speaking on this MPI. Mr Humphries rose to his feet repeatedly to try to soak up the time this member would normally have. It is unusual to move such a motion. We sought leave for an extension

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