Page 2470 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 June 2011
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MR SESELJA: Which, indeed, I am. The reason standing orders should not be suspended is because this legislation is so important and because of the way this has been handled. To put them altogether in the way that is being asked of us by Ms Hunter through this motion is ridiculous. It is a poor way of passing laws. It will lead to bad laws. I repeat the point that I made earlier: we will be back here to fix this. By pushing it through in this way, it makes it even more likely that we will have to come back and fix this. The implications of this legislation for industry in the ACT are significant. To push through in this way this number of amendments I think is ridiculous. I think it does have serious implications. That is why the Canberra Liberals will not be supporting the suspension.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (7.52): Madam Assistant Speaker, this is an outrage in terms of due process. We have 17 pages and 25 amendments that relate to this bill, that relate to a whole range of different clauses and that have different formation. This version that was provided to the Assembly today was printed off at 11.53. So the Greens and co were working on these until 11.53 today. This evening we are expected, on behalf of the people of the ACT, to pass this without any scrutiny of the individual bits and pieces because a deal has been done between the coalition partners that will effectively screw householders in the ACT when they attempt to buy houses.
This, as we all know, will drive up the cost of houses and this government and their coalition partners are avoiding scrutiny on this important piece of legislation by attempting to put the whole of this through without debate. There are 17 amendments here. They change the definitions of things. Some of these amendments go for pages at a time, but this Assembly will be required, if standing orders are suspended, to pass them all holus-bolus without scrutiny. This is the quality of leadership you get with a Gallagher-Hunter government. This is the quality of leadership, this is the confidence that you get—
Mr Corbell: Point of order, Madam Assistant Speaker.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: One moment, Mrs Dunne. Mr Corbell?
Mr Corbell: Once again, Madam Assistant Speaker—
MRS DUNNE: Can we stop the clock?
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Yes, stop the clock, please.
Opposition member interjecting—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Members of the opposition, please be quiet. Mr Corbell, you have the floor.
Mr Corbell: The question before the chair is that standing orders be suspended. It is not a debate about the quality of the leadership of the government which, by the way, is excellent.
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