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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 4 Hansard (27 March) . . Page.. 914 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

I wish the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure well in relation to this. I think there is far more to it than meets the eye, and once it is out of the political limelight perhaps wiser decision-making will follow. This is not a game. This place, in my view, is not a place where members' rights to represent their constituents should be taken away in some sort of summary way without reference to the Assembly. Once you jump that hurdle in a place which is based on proportional representation, as this is, I think we get into some pretty dangerous territory. I am sure that these matters will be taken into account by the Administration and Procedure Committee. I thank members for their support.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Speaker-vote of confidence

MR MOORE (Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services) (12:13): Mr Speaker, I move:

Mr Berry: You had better seek leave.

MR MOORE: I think I was already given that. I will seek leave again. I think I was given leave earlier but I seek leave to move a motion expressing confidence in the Speaker.

Leave granted.

MR MOORE: Thank you, members. Mr Speaker, I move:

Mr Speaker, we have had some debate this morning about standing orders and the implementation of standing orders. It would appear that everybody in the chamber has some dissatisfaction with you as the Speaker. I would add to that some dissatisfaction with the Deputy Speaker as well. I certainly would like to express my dissatisfaction with the way the Deputy Speaker handles the case.

Mr Berry: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. You will have to do that by way of a substantive motion.

MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

MR MOORE: However, Mr Speaker, the main debate here is about the notion of confidence in the Speaker. I was trying to make it very clear that at times we do feel dissatisfied with the protection that is given to us from the chair, sometimes from the Deputy Speaker, sometimes from the Speaker. Only this morning, Mr Stanhope called me a hypocrite. He was asked to withdraw and in withdrawing effectively called me a hypocrite yet again. I did not gain what I consider adequate protection from you, Mr Speaker. This is constant, but we accept that this goes back and forth, and we accept

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