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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 10 Hansard (26 November) . . Page.. 3148 ..

MR OSBORNE (7.31): I am of a mind to vote against this whole motion because I cannot for the life of me understand what the Labor Party is scared of. The appointment of this superannuation committee is a very serious matter.

Mr Kaine: It sure is, and you should have been here to listen to the debate.

MR OSBORNE: I have been listening to the debate out there, Mr Kaine, in that room. I cannot for the life of me work out what you are afraid of. I can understand Mrs Carnell not going on the committee, but I cannot work out why we should exclude Mr Humphries or any other Minister.

Mr Kaine: On a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker: I think the member is reflecting on a vote that we just took.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: On the point of order, I will listen very attentively to Mr Osborne's address to the house.

Mr Kaine: If you suspect that he is reflecting on a vote, you will stop him, won't you?

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes. You have made your point of order, Mr Kaine.

MR STANHOPE (Leader of the Opposition) (7.33), in reply: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, this has been a long and tortuous debate. I am not quite sure why Mr Osborne feels so aggrieved or aggravated by the views of the Opposition on this matter. Mr Osborne is, as always, of course, quite free to do whatever he wants - to cast his vote in whatever way he wants - and I am quite happy for him to do so. In relation to the debate that we just had, or endured, concerning the membership of this committee, I have to tell you, Mr Osborne, that I disagree with you absolutely. I think the attitude of the Government and the Liberal Party to the representation on this committee exhibited utter contempt.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition will address his remarks to the question before the house.

MR STANHOPE: I will, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker.

Ms Carnell: Also, he cannot reflect on a vote of the Assembly.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is why I said that, Chief Minister. It is late, and I know that the Leader of the Opposition is not going to take much time.

MR STANHOPE: I am not, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, although I would like to speak at length about the issues here, the issues we have covered in the debate. As I said before, I think this inquiry will be incredibly useful. I share the sentiment that Mr Osborne expressed before. I think it is a pity that, when Ms Tucker moved a motion some month or so ago, it was not taken up. That, of course, was the genesis of this proposal. I think it is a shame that we did not proceed at that stage. But let us get over that.

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