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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 11 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3330 ..

Mr Berry: Oh, Gary!

MR HUMPHRIES: You read what he said, Mr Berry.

Mr Berry: No wonder you did not become an actor. You are hopeless at drama. Sit down.

MR HUMPHRIES: Obviously, you were not listening to what you were saying at that stage. The Labor Party, bear in mind, was the party that consistently refused to share any role at all in the appointments process in this place. The reason this Bill was introduced by Mr Moore in 1994 was that the only time members of the Assembly ever found out about appointments was if they were announced in the newspapers, or they happened - - -

Ms Follett: That is not true. I rang on many occasions.

MR HUMPHRIES: It is true, Ms Follett. We were very rarely consulted about appointments in this place. You produce to me any letters you have sent to us on that score, Ms Follett. I challenge you to do that.

Ms Follett: No, I phoned you.

MR HUMPHRIES: You say it happened. I was never consulted, as far as I can recall, on an appointment, and as far as I am aware the leaders of my party were never consulted on appointments. If I am wrong, you show us. You show us where we are wrong. Table the documentation if you can.

Ms McRae: You supported the motion and now you are contemptuous of it. Of course we have to put in legislation.

MR HUMPHRIES: You have not been here, Ms McRae, to listen to what is going on. We are supporting this legislation.

Ms McRae: You are still contemptuous of it.

MR HUMPHRIES: No, we are not.

Ms McRae: Well, sit down and leave it alone.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I am sorry Ms McRae is not the Speaker anymore. She would be able to sit me down if she were in that position, but she is not. We have been consistent, Mr Speaker. We have always supported a role for the Assembly in the scrutiny of appointments. You lot over there pretended in government that this was the end of the world. Now you want to extend the concept. Mr Speaker, it looks like those opposite are settling themselves in for a very long period in opposition, if these sorts of amendments are anything to go by.

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