Page 5445 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 8 December 2009
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Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.
Sitting suspended from 12.29 to 2 pm.
Matters of public importance
Ruling by Speaker
MR SPEAKER: Members, I would like to make a further Speaker’s ruling, following on from this morning’s discussion where I ruled a number of proposed matters of public importance out of order because they infringed standing order 130.
It has since been drawn to my attention that the matter that was selected, that being the importance of responding to the challenge of climate change, is very similar to private members’ business order of the day No 16 listed on today’s notice paper. That order of the day notes the importance of addressing climate change and sets out different options for responding to that issue.
As advised previously, page 276 of the Companion to the Standing Orders notes previous Speakers’ rulings. Accordingly, I rule that the matters submitted by Ms Porter and Mr Hargreaves are out of order as well.
That being the case, as standing order 79 states that I shall determine by lot before the commencement of the sitting day the matter to be submitted to the Assembly for discussion that day, I do not believe that I am authorised by the standing order to conduct another determination of an MPI. Accordingly, there will be no matter of public importance for discussion today, unless the Assembly directs otherwise.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition): Mr Speaker, I thank you for your ruling. I think this is something that we as an Assembly will have to have a broader discussion about. We do not want to see MPIs ruled out on this basis because this could be very broad. So I just put that for the attention of the Assembly; perhaps it is something we will come back to in the sittings in the new year.
Questions without notice
Alexander Maconochie Centre—loss of radio frequency identification bracelets
MR SESELJA: My question is to the Attorney-General. It was reported in the Canberra Times on 3 December 2009 that ACT Corrective Services lost three radio frequency identification bracelets. This was described by one officer as, and I quote, a “cock-up”. Minister, can you advise the Assembly how three radio frequency identification bracelets went missing from the Alexander Maconochie Centre? Have they been located and, if not, what is the status of any investigation into their whereabouts?
MR CORBELL: I thank Mr Seselja for the question. There have been approximately three of these tracking devices lost. The circumstances involving—
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