Page 46 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 7 December 2004
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Finally, I will foreshadow that the government will not be supporting the amendments that Dr Foskey has circulated and which I presume she intends to move. I discussed the reason for that earlier with her. The proposal by Dr Foskey to establish a standing committee on community services and social equity, in our view, does not add anything to the process. In fact, the relevant terms of reference, as Dr Foskey acknowledges in her circulated amendment, are already included in the terms of reference of the five standing committees we propose to establish through this motion. It seems to me that Dr Foskey is really just looking for a committee that she can be a member of and perhaps chair. So we do not think that is an appropriate course forward. The resolution before the Assembly is comprehensive, encompassing all the areas that are the responsibility of the executive and allowing those committees to self-refer.
In conclusion, I think it is important that the Assembly acknowledge that the government has been elected through the Hare-Clark proportional system and has achieved a majority. Now the government is entitled to assert its views in the Assembly on these matters, and to do so responsibly, articulately and in the spirit of discussion with other members.
It is interesting how Mrs Dunne asserts that there is some lack of legitimacy in this government’s vote and its representation on the floor of this chamber. It is the first time I have heard the Liberal Party claim that the Hare-Clark system does not deliver a fair result. It is interesting that the only time she asserts that is when the Labor Party gains majority. Well, we have gained majority through a very fair and proportional electoral system, one which all parties in this place endorse, and we have a responsibility to articulate our view in this place for those people who chose to vote Labor at the last election. That is what we are going to do, and I urge members to support this motion.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to speak under standing order 47 because I have been misquoted.
Leave granted.
MRS DUNNE: Mr Speaker, in his closing remarks, the minister said that I had suddenly changed my tune on supporting Hare-Clark. That is not the case. I have never been anything but an advocate of Hare-Clark and continue to be so, and I did not say that the vote of the Labor Party presented them with an overly disproportionate amount of the seats. I said that still the majority of people did not vote for them.
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (12.04): I seek leave to move the amendment circulated in my name.
Leave granted.
DR FOSKEY: I move:
(1) Subparagraph (1)(b), omit “Young People” and “youth and family services;
(2) Subparagraph (1)(c), omit “and Disability”, “disability matters,” and “and community services, including services for older persons and women, housing, poverty, and multicultural and indigenous affairs”;
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