Page 1027 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 17 March 2010
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MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Yes, thank you, Mr Smyth.
Mr Smyth: If the Greens and the Labor Party are quite happy to change the rules for the Liberal Party, so be it.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, I have heard your point.
Mr Hargreaves: Madam Assistant Speaker—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, do you have a new point?
Mr Hargreaves: Yes, Madam Assistant Speaker. It is also unheard of in my dozen years here that a member has abused the standing orders under the guise of making a statement to actually make the speech he would have made if his bill had been put forward. And that is what we are seeing.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Hargreaves. Mr Hanson, I think the point here is that you asked for leave to make a brief statement. I think that the house is pretty much making its view clear that what you are making shows signs of not being a brief statement. Can I please ask you to wind up your statement in the next minute or two and then—
MR HANSON: Madam Assistant Speaker, the standing orders say that I have no time limit. This is a very important issue and I believe that my statement needs to be thorough. I will be as brief as I choose to be, and it is entirely within my right to do so.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I agree that it is within your right but it was also within the—
Mr Smyth: Well then, defend his rights.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: But you did state “brief”.
MR HANSON: It is not about the vibe, Madam Assistant Speaker; it is about the standing orders. The standing orders say that I am entitled to speak for as long as I want to, and I will do so until such time as I am directed by the Assembly not to, for a suspension of standing orders. Until then, I will continue to speak, as is my right under the standing orders. If you want to muzzle the debate further, you have already muzzled the debate on the bill. Now what we see is Labor and the Greens wanting to muzzle what I am doing, which is make a statement. If we are going to have more muzzling of debate in this place, I am not sure why we are bothering to be here today.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, you did say “brief”, and I would ask you to do what you said you were going to do. But you are correct in pointing out that there is no time limit, given that you have been given leave. So you are correct that the Assembly cannot actually stop you. However, I draw your attention to the fact that you said you were going to make a brief statement and request that you do what you said you were going to do.
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