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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 11 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3343 ..

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, can I speak to that point of order for a moment?

MR SPEAKER: Yes.

Mr Berry: Standing order 173, which Mr Moore refers to, requires in its heading that amendments should be relevant. The standing order states:

An amendment may not be moved to the question "That this bill be agreed to in principle" - - -

Mr Moore: It is the wrong standing order. I agree. He is quite right. Yes; I did choose the wrong standing order. I withdraw the number, but standing orders do require relevance for amendments as well, Mr Speaker. I will just find the standing order, but I am sure you know which one it is.

MS McRAE: Mr Speaker, further to that point of order: My proposed amendment refers to any significant public works in the ACT. The lakes are in the ACT. It is a broadening of the issue in regard to the lakes. The lakes do not exist separate to the ACT. What my proposed amendment infers is that, as well as the lakes, we will look at the rest of the ACT. I do not see why that is irrelevant.

Mr Moore: On the point of order, Mr Speaker: Ms McRae is talking about capital works. I am talking about a specific issue - the lakes and the foreshores. She is talking about significant capital works. I believe that they are two separate issues. I would be very comfortable about Ms McRae putting that as a motion, but it is a separate issue.

Mr Berry: Clearly, Mr Speaker, this is relevant to the matter being discussed. Mr Moore's attempt to divert attention from this issue is completely out of order. The proposed amendment ought to be allowed. If Mr Moore does not want to vote for it he should vote against it. It is as simple as that.

MR SPEAKER: There are two standing orders that could apply. Standing order 140 states:

Every amendment must be relevant to the question which it is proposed to amend.

However, standing order 106 states:

If a notice of motion is given which contains matters not relevant to each other, the Speaker may instruct the Clerk to divide the notice into two or more notices.

That is perhaps an option.

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