Page 3725 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 24 August 2011

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MR HARGREAVES: I will refrain from descriptive phrases, Madam Deputy Speaker.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, come to the subject. Stop with the conversation.

MR HARGREAVES: The issue is, as Mr Corbell said, the government will not be supporting the suspension of standing orders. But I want to put a slightly different reason on the table for it. The Liberal opposition has been fully aware for well over a week that the government does not want to debate this bill at the moment. It is not ready to debate this issue.

Mrs Dunne says there is a longstanding convention that these things happen. She also admitted that in recent times. Of course it is her right, it is the right of the member producing the legislation, to have it brought on but it is up to the Assembly to decide whether to proceed or not. This parliament is in charge of its own destiny. There will be a vote not to proceed. There will be a vote to adjourn. We have got to accept the rules of the Assembly. What did the attorney say last week?

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: The time for the debate has expired.

Question put:

That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent debate on the motion to adjourn debate being debated.

A call of the Assembly having commenced—

Mr Hargreaves: On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker, it has been a convention in this place where pairs have been agreed between whips that members absent themselves. There is an agreement. The document is in front of you. The agreement was between me and the opposition that Mrs Dunne’s pair from 11 o’clock this morning would be agreed. And I would ask those opposite not to just throw convention away. I was not informed that Mrs Dunne was going to be delayed. I was not informed of anything like that. As far as I am concerned, the pair should be operative.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, the chair does not get involved in pair arrangements. It is between whips. A division has been called for.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the negative.

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