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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 13 Hansard (3 December) . . Page.. 4475 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

suspended and Mr Osborne was. I think in Mr Moore's case it was a matter of principle. He accepted it readily and he went. I cannot think of anyone else. I think that says a lot. The Speaker is under considerable pressure every day. I think on the whole you have discharged your office very effectively indeed.

Of all the Speakers and Deputy Speakers I have seen in this place, myself included, I have appreciated your wit the most. It has livened up debate. I do not think you have ever said anything with malice. I have found it quite amusing, even when it has been directed against me or members of the Government. Quick, sharp comments which are very witty and humorous liven up a sometimes dreary debate. I do not think anything can be read into them. I think the Opposition are quite wrong to raise that point.

Mr Whitecross indicated that no Government members who interject are brought to order. I can recall in the course of this Assembly many occasions - - -

Ms McRae: Once. Yes, we remember once.

MR STEFANIAK: Not once. I can recall you bringing me to order probably half-a-dozen times, Mr Speaker. I remember you frequently bringing Government Ministers to order when answering questions, telling them to get on with it and showing considerable fairness. Mr Speaker, one only needs to go back through Hansard to look at your track record in this Assembly over the last two years and eight months, or however long it is we have been sitting now, to see that your record speaks for itself. You have shown fairness to both sides. Where necessary, you have stopped people from interjecting. On occasions you may have even let it go on for too long. That is something that all Speakers occasionally do. Some might try to overly restrict debate. It is very difficult.

One only has to go through the Hansard to show that you have acted fairly. It is sour grapes from the Opposition today. When one looks back over this Assembly, there are a lot of members here who probably could have been thrown out and maybe would have been thrown out in other parliaments. That is something Mr Moore raised which I think we could take on board.

Ms McRae: You are kidding. You have obviously never visited another parliament.

MR STEFANIAK: I have, Ms McRae. They vary. I suggest again that you go back through the Hansard and look at the track record. Only three people have been thrown out in the course of this parliament. Look at the record in other parliaments. Look at the number of people in the Federal Parliament who under the Federal Labor Party got their marching orders. Some of them, like Wilson Tuckey, made an artform of it. I can recall a number being given their marching orders in a fairly brief period. I do not profess to have a great knowledge of the State parliaments, but I am well aware of the rotating door that operated for a while in the Federal Parliament.

This motion is brought about by sour grapes. As Ms Tucker said, no-one has raised any problems with your chairing before, Mr Speaker. Mr Moore mentioned your fairness outside this house. Along with the other members of the Government, I will not be supporting this sour grapes motion.

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