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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 13 Hansard (4 December) . . Page.. 4411 ..

MR WHITECROSS (continuing):

He proposed that before we debate this issue we should go to the electors, put it before them and say, "If we are re-elected we will vote for four-year terms". Mr Speaker, I have pored over the Liberal Party's policy and I am afraid to say that I cannot find a reference in their election policy to a four-year term. I wonder whether that might provide the solution for Mr Humphries. Seeing that he did not go to the last election seeking a mandate for a four-year term, perhaps, following the principle he set down for himself in 1994, he might not want to vote for a four-year term.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I rise to take a point of order. We have had a 10-minute speech from Mr Whitecross so far - - -

MR WHITECROSS: Five minutes. Be fair.

Mr Humphries: It seems like about 10 hours, actually. Mr Speaker, so far he has regaled the Assembly with my views or my non-views, according to him, about this issue, but he has not actually - - -

MR WHITECROSS: This is not a point of order.

MR SPEAKER: It is a question of relevance.

Mr Humphries: He is yet to address the Assembly on the question before this Assembly, which is the Electoral (Amendment) Bill (No. 2). We would like him to address his remarks to that Bill.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, that is not a point of order. The Leader of the Opposition is responding to a Minister of the Government's contribution to the debate. Heavens above, he should be entitled to do that.

Mr Humphries: He should respond to the Bill, not to me.

Mr Berry: It cannot be ruled as a point of order, otherwise we would never be able to respond to something the Government said.

MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order, but I would ask you to try to remain relevant, Mr Whitecross.

MR WHITECROSS: Mr Speaker, I believe I am being highly relevant to the Bill. I am very concerned that the Government cannot make up its mind what its position on it is. I was trying to assist the Government in arriving at a position. Mr Speaker, the election date was an issue that was canvassed in the report of the Electoral Commission on the 1995 Legislative Assembly election, the one where Mr Humphries did not seek a mandate for four-year terms. In that report, Mr Speaker, the Electoral Commission indicates - - -

Mr Humphries: Nor did you. When did you seek a mandate for four years?

Mr Hird: That does not matter. Why muddy the water with the facts?

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