Page 455 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Ms Gallagher does not stand accused of misleading a committee, yet her inclusion in this motion would seem to imply that. So I cannot support that. I support Mr Corbell’s amendments.
Mr Speaker, there is another matter that I need to put on the record because I was considering putting an amendment forward and I need to process this through colleagues in the chamber, and whether I do or not will remain a matter for me during the context of the debate—that is, the concern that I have over your own role in this, Mr Speaker. I want to predicate this by saying that I have the deepest respect and affection for you on a personal basis, so please do not take my coming remarks on a personal level.
I have recently spoken about what I believe to be a diminution of the role of the Speaker by having a part-time possibility in that role. I have spoken publicly about that and I do not resile from it. I thought what we saw, in fact, as this tale played out, was further evidence of it, and sufficient evidence to give me deep concern. When I opened up the newspaper, Mr Speaker, and saw the position put, which seemed to indicate a conclusion of judgement on Mr Sullivan’s actions in the newspaper, I thought that that was a little bit pre-emptive. But I recognise members’ roles and their right to actually make those sorts of pronouncements, as members—but not if they are an officer of the Assembly. I find a lot of difficulty in regard to that particular role.
It seems to me that the moment that announcement came into the newspaper, there was a decision taken in your mind at the time that being a spokesman for a political party in this chamber was more important than the role of the Speaker, because you then deferred the decision on the matter of precedent to the Deputy Speaker.
Mr Speaker, I do not believe that was an appropriate action. I believe, in fact, that it was an inappropriate action. We are saying that there is a possibility that a person has given evidence to a committee which may have been untrue. Any member who has been here for more than 12 months would know that that is perhaps worthy of consideration by a privileges committee.
The decision on the privileges committee, the conduct of the proceedings within a committee itself, is within the province of the Speaker. These two areas are creatures of the parliament. The supreme position within the parliament is that of the Speaker. Ministers and public servants are subordinate to the parliament, not the other way around. We do not have the luxury of choosing, “I don’t think I’ll be an officer of the Assembly; I think today I’ll be something else.” The community does not make that distinction. The community believes, as does the Remuneration Tribunal, that the person appointed to the role of Speaker will conduct, as their primary role in this place, the role of the presiding officer of this place.
Ms Bresnan: A point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan.
MR HARGREAVES: Clock, please.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .