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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 11 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 3147 ..

Tuesday, 24 September 2002

MR SPEAKER (Mr Berry) took the chair at 10.30 am, made a formal recognition that the Assembly was meeting on the lands of the traditional owners and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

Leave of absence

MR SPEAKER: I have received correspondence indicating that Mrs Cross will not be able to attend the Assembly this week on the grounds of ill health.

Motion (by Mr Corbell ) agreed to:

That leave of absence be granted to Mrs Cross from 24 to 26 September 2002 on the grounds of ill health.

Chamber-seating

MR SPEAKER: I have also received correspondence from the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Humphries, advising that Mrs Cross is no longer a member of the Liberal Party in the Assembly. As a consequence, Mr Cornwell will now occupy the seat in the chamber previously occupied by Mrs Cross and further arrangements will be finalised following consultation with members.

Parliamentary Liberal Party-membership

MR HUMPHRIES (Leader of the Opposition): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement in relation to Mrs Cross' position in the parliamentary Liberal Party.

Leave granted.

MR HUMPHRIES: I thank members for granting me leave. Members will not be surprised to learn that, as of yesterday afternoon, Mrs Helen Cross is no longer a member of the parliamentary Liberal Party in the ACT Legislative Assembly. Mr Speaker, I think it is appropriate to formally advise the house of that matter and to explain the circumstances which have led to that decision. The working relationship between Mrs Cross and other Liberal MLAs-

MR SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, can I just intervene at this stage. I want to give you a little advance warning about any imputations that might flow from your exposé of events surrounding the changes in the Liberal membership in the Assembly. So I just caution you on that score.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I take that warning on board, but what I propose to say is what has been said publicly already by me, and I don't think it will offend standing orders.

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