Page 3464 - Week 09 - Thursday, 21 August 2008
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If the Stanhope government wants to go down this path, they will have their time wasted, or they could be generous and act in a collegial way and not have the time of the house wasted. It is their choice, but if they choose not to give members leave for simple things, they will have their time wasted, Mr Speaker.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (3.29): Mr Speaker, the form of this place is that you address questions in this house or you make explanations, as provided for under the standing orders. It is not a form of this place that just because you have got something to say because you do not like what somebody else has said you get leave to say it. That is exactly what Mrs Dunne is asking for. She cannot handle the fact that the minister has made a personal explanation and corrected the record. She has got to have the last say. That is all it is about.
Through you, Mr Speaker, Mrs Dunne should not lecture us here about abusing the forms of the house. Mrs Dunne is the only person who is abusing the forms of the house. Mrs Dunne wants to have the last say because she cannot cop the fact that the minister has corrected something that she claimed and which was wrong in her speech yesterday.
Mr Speaker, the government have been consistent on this matter. We do not support the suspension of standing orders just so that a member can go off on their own little dalliance about something that they feel is important when there is no question before the chair and where there is no need for explanation, as provided for under the standing orders. That is why we are refusing to support the motion today, Mr Speaker. It has been our consistent position. It will remain so.
MR PRATT (Brindabella) (3.31): Mr Speaker, a suspension of standing orders in this case is justified. Under standing order 46 Mrs Dunne is quite entitled to make a statement. Standing orders do not state—
Mr Corbell: But she did not. That is not what she sought, Mr Pratt.
MR PRATT: that a personal explanation cannot be made under standing order 46.
Mr Corbell: She did not seek to make a personal explanation under standing order 46.
MR PRATT: Mrs Dunne is entitled to make a statement under standing order 46 to correct a misleading statement by Mr Hargreaves, who had never been anywhere near—
Mr Corbell: She did not, Steve. You do not know what you are talking about.
Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Pratt, withdraw your accusation that Mr Hargreaves misled.
MR PRATT: I withdraw that.
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