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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (25 May) . . Page.. 1841 ..
Mr Berry: You should not be reflecting on-
MR HUMPHRIES: I am reflecting positively, Mr Speaker.
Mr Berry: You can't reflect either way.
MR HUMPHRIES: The matter was thrown out of the Assembly on that occasion, and so it should have been.
Mr Berry: Okay. It should have got up, and you deserved it.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Settle down.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I ask members not to give these sorts of things credence by elevating them to this dramatic stage. We have had motions of no confidence, motions of censure, and now motions for privileges committees to be established. We have this ratcheting up of this campaign that is trying to imply that this government is full of corrupt people. It is not. These claims are not true. They are orchestrated but they are nonetheless untrue.
I ask members not to support this motion in this way. I will move the amendment which was circulated in my name. I ask members to give Mr Smyth, Mr Gower and others their chance to have those issues canvassed in an Assembly committee, but in the appropriate form, not in an unjustified select committee on privileges. I move:
Omit all words after "That", substitute the following words "the Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services examine the allegations of the possible improper influence of a witness, Mr Gower in respect of evidence to be given to the Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services, and to report to the Assembly by the last sitting day of June 2000".
MR RUGENDYKE (5.19): Mr Speaker, this motion to form a select committee on privileges is an option, but that appears to me to be an extreme option. We have heard argument from both sides. We have heard of correspondence from witnesses. We have heard a lot of argument about whether or not this argument justifies a select committee. Apart from whether or not certain words were said, how they were said, or what they meant, I think it is important to consider Mr Gower, the person who appeared before the committee of which I am a part. We all know what Mr Gower said, according to the Hansard.
I get the feeling that Mr Gower may not have been fully aware that he was probably playing with the big boys, and I would imagine that he is somewhat embarrassed. I would expect that Mr Gower is probably worried about what might happen in the event of such a committee being appointed. I have looked at the standing orders to see how
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