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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4844 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

The Bill was quite different from the exposure draft. When we look at the exposure draft it is quite clear - and Mr Humphries told us - that what this exposure draft does is implement the Government's response to Stein. Mr Speaker, my reaction is that I object to that. However, we have been through a committee process, and I know that the Labor Party is going to support it. So be it. Then I will wait for the final version so that I can see just to what extent that is true - of course, this Bill goes much further than that - and to what extent we can work on that. Mr Speaker, since the tabling of this legislation, we have dealt with some 27 other pieces of legislation, including the passage of the budget. This is the time in which we are supposed to have had plenty of community consultation and plenty of time to read the Bill.

Mr Speaker, I draw your attention to the fact that there are some persons on the floor of the Assembly who are not members of the Assembly or attendants. It is entirely inappropriate.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I have approached the Clerk about having members of the administration available, as is often the case for matters of this kind. Only a few weeks ago, it was the case for the budget debate, and it has been the case for the Electoral Bill, the Public Sector Management Bill, and so on, to have members of the administration on the floor. Permission has never been sought from the Assembly as a whole for that to happen. It has always been, presumably - - -

MR MOORE: Yes, it has. It has been given generally before.

Mr Humphries: It has never been sought.

MR MOORE: It has not been given this time. You do not have leave.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I am open to your direction. My understanding is that it has never been sought. I have never voted on a motion to allow advisers onto the floor.

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, show me the standing order that allows somebody to be on the floor of this Assembly who is not entitled to be there.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, this is very churlish behaviour. I seek leave to move a motion to allow members of the administration to - - -

MR MOORE: I am in the middle of a speech, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: You drew attention to the matter.

MR MOORE: But not to have a motion on top of my speech.

MR SPEAKER: You drew attention to the matter. Do not waste our time, Mr Moore. You have been warned once. Do not waste our time.

MR MOORE: Go on. Just try it.

Debate interrupted.

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