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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 9 Hansard (20 August) . . Page.. 2424 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

Mr Speaker, the Civil Law (Wrongs) Bill 2002 is a major response by the ACT government to the so-called insurance crisis, which is having a significant effect on the Canberra community. None of us is unaware of the impact of the issues of affordability and availability of insurance premiums on much of the vital work that is being done, on the many community organisations and on the conduct of the business of government, particularly in the provision of medical and other services to the people of Canberra.

It is absolutely amazing to me that the Liberal Party does not care about the trauma that is being suffered by the community. The Liberal Party does not care about the enormous damage that is been done to the community infrastructure as a result of the non-availability of insurance.

Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Chief Minister is not debating whether or not standing orders should be suspended but is debating the substance of the motion that he wants to move.

MR STANHOPE: I was speaking about the importance to the Canberra community of the Civil Law (Wrongs) Bill 2002. It is vitally important to the people of Canberra that this bill be tabled today, that this debate be had and that we get on with the job of seriously addressing the insurance crisis.

We have the Liberal Party opposing a major response by the government to the insurance crisis. That is what we are debating. We are debating the fact that the Liberal Party oppose the government's attempts to deal with the insurance crisis. The Liberal Party do not want the insurance crisis dealt with. The Liberal Party do not want doctors to keep practising. The Liberal Party do not want community organisations to be able to go about the vital work they do to provide the cement that binds our community. They do not want community organisations to continue to provide and build the social capital that is vital to this community. The Liberal Party do not want us to deal with the insurance crisis. They oppose the introduction of this bill.

Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, I go back to my point of order. So far, the Chief Minister has not expressed one reason why notice was not given of this, why we need to suspend standing orders and why we cannot do this on Thursday. I would like to bring the Chief Minister back to the substantive item of why he needs to suspend standing orders to do this today.

MR SPEAKER: The Chief Minister made the point that the reason he wants to suspend standing orders is that this is an important piece of legislation, and it is within the standing orders for him to do that.

Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, unless there is some urgency to debate it this week, the normal time for introducing new legislation is on a Thursday.

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, the question before the house is that standing orders be suspended. I am not at liberty to interpret whether or not we should be talking about a particular piece of legislation today. All I am charged with is the responsibility of ensuring that that motion is dealt with in this place.

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