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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 12 Hansard (14 November) . . Page.. 3667 ..

Statement by member

MR SPEAKER: Mr Pratt, I now have a copy of Hansard in front of me, and I trust that you have had time to look at this matter. I have taken a close look at standing order 55, and I will read it to you for your information:

All imputations of improper motives and all personal reflections on Members shall be considered highly disorderly.

Ms Tucker has already explained where what you said was different from what she said. It is clear from the words I referred to earlier, and I will quote them:

Whether or not Ms Tucker understands that these comments provide some sort of encouragement and comfort to those who would seek to attack our country is beyond me.

I rule forthwith that these comments are contrary to standing order 55, and I order you to withdraw them.

MR PRATT: In that case, Mr Speaker, I so do. I withdraw.

Community Services and Social Equity-Standing Committee

Membership

MR STEFANIAK (3.55): Mr Speaker, I move:

That Mrs Cross be discharged from attending the Standing Committee on Community Services and Social Equity as a representative of the Liberal Party and in her place Mr Cornwell be appointed as a member of the committee.

I will speak to the motion and also make reference to the next motion. Mr Speaker, this motion is simple. Mrs Cross is no longer a Liberal representative on this committee, and we would seek to put Mr Cornwell on it as our Liberal representative.

With regard to what happens to that committee, I note that Mrs Cross has a motion to establish two four-member committees, one of which is the Standing Committee on Community Services and Social Equity. I foreshadow that I have an amendment to that motion, to enable the Standing Committee on Community Services and Social Equity to have four members until its two outstanding inquiries are concluded.

Mrs Cross has been a member of that committee and has participated in the two ongoing, part-heard inquiries-as have Ms Dundas and Mr Hargreaves. I believe it is entirely reasonable and proper that those three members should be on that committee until those two inquiries finish, and Mr Cornwell can go on as the Liberal member. He will come in cold, but he can remain on the committee as our representative. I think it is desirable-we voted this way last year-that each committee have three members: a member of the crossbench, a member of the government and a member of the opposition.

There are six committees and, of course, the house committee, which is covered by another standing order. The six committees each have three members. I think that reflects pretty adequately the balance of the Assembly. It is also fairly sensible for purposes of

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