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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 13 Hansard (3 December) . . Page.. 4474 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

A couple of other issues are worth raising. It was said that the Speaker editorialises. Yes, he does. Mr Humphries summed it up properly. It is in good humour. It is part of his wit. It is part of a tone added into this place. Occasionally, in doing that, the Speaker may have slightly overstepped the mark, but who here has not overstepped the mark - apart from Ms Tucker? Certainly, I have on many occasions overstepped the mark. I know it. The Speaker gives an indication that enough is enough, in which case it is time to back off. The difference is that Mr Berry does not pick it up when the Speaker gives him the indication that enough is enough. He just turns his back, rolls the chair around, looks down this way and continues with the same process that he has been using.

Let me emphasise that the Speaker's role is a very difficult one. No Speaker is going to get to the end of the three years without someone drawing attention to conflicting rulings. On odd occasions the Speaker may make the wrong decision or be a bit quick off the mark; but he is in the hot seat, as Ms McRae was. We have to accept that there are going to be times when it goes in our favour and times when it goes against us. Overall, I think that this Speaker has been particularly fair in the way he deals with the house. From many conversations that I have had with this Speaker, either in the Administration and Procedure Committee or in his office, about issues to do with the house, I know that he has been very concerned to ensure that he deals evenly with people when he can. He has tested that. Although probably not in the last six months, if my recollection serves me correctly, he has often said to me about something that has happened, "How did you see that?", and I have given him a frank opinion.

It seems to me that what we see today is a frustration with having lost your leader. You are particularly frustrated because you will be hampered by the fact that it is the second time he has been suspended, which means that he is suspended for two sitting days. You might rightly feel frustrated, but for the next three or four sitting days - that is all it is - you have to look at yourselves, particularly once you are warned. That is the key to it.

I hope the Speaker does occasionally - and it is only very occasionally that he does it - continue to editorialise, particularly late at night, because it adds a certain informal element which sometimes is appropriate in the Assembly. Sometimes it is not appropriate. Sometimes we need to run a much more formal process, as in this debate. There are plenty of times when it is appropriate in a light-hearted way. If he gets it slightly wrong one time - who is perfect? I think this was an entirely inappropriate motion to move. I understand why it was moved, but I think it is sad because of the vehemence with which you have put your views. It has been in a much too personal way.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Training) (5.10): Mr Speaker, I want to speak to a few points the Opposition raised. I think there is a lot in what Mr Moore says. I have seen all Speakers in operation here and, in fairness to them all, I think they all had considerable strengths. Maybe a few things could have been done differently. I say that as someone who was a Deputy Speaker in the First Assembly.

Mr Speaker, I must take umbrage at Mr Whitecross's point that you are weak and biased. I think in this Assembly you have shown considerable fairness. There is much in what Mr Moore has said. I was having a brief conversation with my colleague Mr Kaine about how many people have been thrown out. Apart from Mr Berry, Mr Moore was

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