Page 4058 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 13 December 2006
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He has been slapped in the face over some of his initiatives, such as the infamous bus plan. This is a desperate attempt to try and recapture the high moral ground.
If we look at the article “Territory plan clear as mud” by John Thistleton in the Canberra Times today, I do not believe the minister has won the public debate. I do not believe that a motion such as this, which will be pushed through simply on a majority, will do anything at all to convince members either on this side of the house or the other of his confidence in handling critical issues such as this. It stands in sharp contrast to the way in which other matters have been handled in this place. I thought we were going to hear some matters of substance, with quotes from Assembly debates, to support the claim that members have abused the processes of the Legislative Assembly. We heard nothing along those lines, Mr Speaker. We heard some desperate pleas—
Mr Stanhope: We would be happy to do it all again.
MR MULCAHY: We did, and then we heard a bit of theatre by the Chief Minister, the fundamental basis of which was flawed and which he has had to acknowledge was flawed. I think the government’s performance on the matter speaks volumes. The original motion should be opposed.
MS PORTER (Ginninderra) (12.08): Mr Speaker, I rise today to support Mr Corbell’s censure motion, to support ACT public servants in the Land Development Authority and the ACT Planning and Land Authority and, of course, to support Mr Corbell as planning minister.
I would like to address Mr Seselja’s behaviour over the last six months in relation to EpiCentre. Quite frankly, I believe we should censure Mr Seselja this morning for the way he has misled the public of the ACT on this matter. It is very clear that Mr Corbell and his employees at the LDA and ACTPLA acted appropriately and with due care and process. This was the finding of the Auditor-General.
Mr Seselja’s behaviour has been entirely reprehensible. This morning I read over the Hansard report of the public hearing of the estimates committee into this matter on 21 June, as well as the in-camera hearing of the committee. It is very clear to me that Mr Seselja used the estimates committee process on 21 June to build a straw man. I must say it was very satisfying yesterday to see that straw man blown away in the gust of wind that came behind the Auditor-General’s report. Mr Seselja’s scarecrow has been desiccated, Mr Speaker. Mr Seselja used the process to suggest that the people have been misled. In fact, he was doing the misleading.
Mr Smyth: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
MS PORTER: I refer to Mr Corbell’s reply to that claim in the estimate committee hearing on 21 June—
MR SPEAKER: Ms Porter, there is a point of order.
Mr Smyth: Ms Porter just said that he “is misleading” or “was misleading”. It is either a substantive motion or she has to withdraw it.
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