Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 9 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 2722 ..

MR KAINE (continuing):

The second objection from the Chief Minister seemed to be on the basis that I did not get enough votes to get elected to this place so I really should not be here. It is rather odd because I was elected under the Hare-Clark system, which is the one adopted by the Liberal Party as their policy and which everybody else in this place was elected under. In terms of first preference votes, if the Chief Minister had looked a little bit further she would have discovered that her deputy, sitting next to her, and the Speaker, between the two of them, got less percentage of votes than I did. If her argument is that I should not be here, then her deputy and the Speaker had both better stand aside. The logic escapes me, quite frankly.

The third point that the Chief Minister raised was that I was not elected as a crossbencher. Well, Mr Moore was not elected as a Minister. I have had innumerable phone calls asking me how come that Mr Moore, who was elected as an Independent, got to be a Minister. That was not what they elected him for. The Chief Minister has no difficulty with that at all; that is fine.

Through the whole thread of this, Mr Deputy Speaker, there is a double standard. The Chief Minister was happy eight months ago that money could be found. She is not happy today. It is not okay for me to be sitting here because I did not get enough votes, but it is okay for her deputy, in particular, to sit next to her and that is fine. It is okay for Mr Moore to take up a position to which he was not elected, but it is not okay for me. There is a double standard through that that confounds me.

Mr Deputy Speaker, the reason why I am saying these things is that I am seeking to close the debate. I said that I would not have my vote bought for any reason, under any circumstance, and it will not be bought by asking backbenchers to give up some of their scarce salary resources. Mr Deputy Speaker, before the debate goes any further, I seek leave to withdraw my motion under standing order 129. That should please everybody. Mr Rugendyke, who has been playing the role of a go-between today, can now deliver on the promise that he made to me that this would be fixed.

Leave granted.

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Kaine, you have withdrawn it, effectively, at this stage.

MR KAINE: I have withdrawn my motion, Mr Deputy Speaker, because of the unfairness and discrimination that continues to rule in this place.

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! It being 5.00 pm, I propose the question:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

Mr Humphries: I require the question to be put forthwith without debate.

Question resolved in the negative.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .