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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 2214 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

(c) adding the following new paragraph:

For the purposes of this standing order and standing order 78, Executive Members' business is business which has been introduced by an Executive Member and has been so determined by the Manager of Government Business;

(2) standing order 78 be amended for the remainder of this Assembly by inserting after "Executive", "and Executive Members".

Mr Speaker, this motion is very simple. It deals with the question of how a member of the Government might be able to introduce a Bill or move other business before the Assembly which is not strictly speaking government business. I appreciate that this is a concept which may appear a little strange to some members, but I think it is worth explaining.

Members of the Government obviously agree to abide by government decisions, but there are some issues that individual members of the Government may wish to take up which may not necessarily reflect the view of the whole of the Government. Mr Moore, as an independent member of the Government, has already introduced at least one piece of legislation which is not a government Bill. It is Mr Moore's private members Bill and he will need to attract support from members of the Assembly if it is to pass. His task is to attract support not only from other members of the Assembly but the Liberal members of the Government as well. This is a device to allow a member of the Government to act as a private member in order to be able to introduce business into the house for the consideration of the house, and to have matters debated.

Members of the Opposition and the crossbenches, I understand, express some concern about members of the Government using private members business for that purpose, and I accept their concern. As a result, I suggest in this motion that we introduce the notion of Executive members business whereby a member of the Government is able to introduce a motion or a Bill at a time which is neither government business, because it really is not government business, nor private members business, because it is not that either, apparently, in the view of members.

Mr Speaker, the proposal is clearly set out in the proposed amendments to the standing orders. It is a compromise which reflects the need to treat this kind of business differently from other business already available under a particular heading in our standing orders.

MR KAINE (4.54): Mr Speaker, I oppose this motion that the Manager of Government Business is putting forward.

Mr Moore: Oh, Trevor.

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