Page 3773 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 24 August 2010
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The government has already indicated it is considering options to do just that. But for the government to be given less than 24 hours and to have an ultimatum given to it that these community safety reforms will be put at risk and not debated in this place this week unless the government—outside the budget process and with no prior notice from the Greens—gives in to that ultimatum is just outrageous. A last-minute ultimatum with no warning. Mr Rattenbury came to me at one minute to midnight and said, “Unless you agree,” Madam Deputy Speaker—
Members interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, members! The next person that yells across the chamber to Mr Corbell will be warned. Thank you very much, Mr Corbell.
MR CORBELL: Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Mrs Dunne: On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker, Mr Corbell is abusing the forms of the house. He sought leave to make a statement, and what he is doing is using his unfettered time to attack members of this house because he is not ready. It is an abuse of the leave, and Mr Corbell should remember that he is speaking with the leave of the Assembly and he should comply with the courtesies of this Assembly.
Mr Hargreaves: On the point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker, Minister Corbell sought leave of the house to make a statement. It is not for members of this opposition to judge what Mr Corbell would do in that statement before he has concluded. There is no point of order.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Corbell.
MR CORBELL: Madam Deputy Speaker, it is important that we put on the record today why this bill has been delayed.
Mr Smyth: For 2½ years by your inactivity.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, you are warned.
MR CORBELL: It has been delayed because at one minute to midnight, after the government had given ample notice that this bill would be brought on for debate today, the Greens said, “Unless you put up half a million dollars extra—without a budget process, without an appropriation—for extra public transport at night, we won’t debate the bill.” What does this mean? Well, what it means is that this bill will be delayed; it will not be able to be implemented on 1 December as this Assembly itself has asked. It will not be able to be publicised across all the liquor licensees here in the ACT that need information and need to go through a regulatory process to renew their licences in December. All of that is now at risk because of this last-minute ultimatum by the Greens.
The Greens have not previously put this ultimatum to me. They have not previously said to me, “Unless you agree to fund improvements in public transport, we will not debate the bill.” They have not made it a condition of their support for debate of this
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