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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 1 Hansard (18 February) . . Page.. 332 ..

Mr Hargreaves: You are repeating yourself. You sound like a Gatling gun.

MR HUMPHRIES: I would rather sound like a Gatling gun, Mr Hargreaves, than a dunce. And that is what you sounded like yesterday in urging us to rush headlong into abolishing the ACT Children's Court. I would much rather be a Gatling gun than a dunce. These are serious problems. I hope members opposite in particular will reconsider the approach they take on such matters in the future. Ms Tucker in particular, who is always very ready to urge the Government to apply a process, should also consider that process in respect of the role she plays in this place. She also has some control over process. It is not just the Government. She, as a member of this Assembly, has control over process. I hope that in the future she will be able to work with others in this place to make sure people are not suborned in the way in which they bring legislation forward or otherwise deal with it in the appropriate way. As I said this morning, I hope that as a result of this legislation we have resolved - - -

Mr Quinlan: And if you had not in recent months pushed the envelope in terms of tactics, you would have been believable yesterday.

MR SPEAKER: Be quiet, Mr Quinlan.

MR HUMPHRIES: We hear words about tactics in this place. It is very easy to regard this place as a place where it is just a matter of tactics, where we just use the numbers to get what we want.

Mr Hargreaves: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. Relevance, please. The Minister is just filibustering.

MR SPEAKER: I think it is extremely relevant. I do not uphold the point of order. This is a serious matter.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, there is an important point to be made here, and I would be grateful if the Opposition took one moment to listen to it. It is very easy to use the numbers, when you have them, to force things through in this place. Sometimes the consequences - - -

Mr Kaine: You have done it before today.

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, we have, Mr Kaine, and always with your support in the past, by the way, for the three years you were in the Government. I do not believe that we have ever destroyed a process which has been well established by this Assembly. We certainly have always honoured those processes, to the best of my recollection, and I would say to the Assembly that they should do likewise in future when legislation is brought forward and considered in whatever form in this place.

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