Page 5942 - Week 14 - Thursday, 8 December 2011

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whip, the leader of the party and the manager of business ought to be such that that whip can make a statement on behalf of their party. For them not to be able to do that, in my view, shows a lack of confidence from the leader in both the whip and that member.

Therefore, from where I am standing, this is an expression of a lack of confidence from the leader of the opposition, Mr Seselja, in Mr Hanson as whip—that he is not good enough to sit on admin and procedure—and a lack of confidence in Mrs Dunne because she has to bolt back and find out what is going on. We all know that the whole of the opposition business is managed out of the leader’s office—I do beg your pardon: some of it may even be able to be managed from the floor at Nara house across the road, paid for by the Assembly.

However, let us get back. I propose, Mr Speaker, that this a technical issue. If people want to attack me to distract from the issue, fine, knock yourselves out; I really do not care. I have no vested interest in this result other than that I think it is the right thing to do. To accuse Ms Bresnan of trying to feather her own nest is inappropriate. Any proposal to get an allowance for the crossbench I am going to move to the Remuneration Tribunal. I want to put that on the record. The rem tribunal will not provide a determination which will be in the life of this Assembly. It is not automatic that Ms Bresnan will be the receiver of such an allowance. To suggest otherwise, in my view, warrants an apology to Ms Bresnan.

Mr Speaker, these guys can faff and cackle away as much as they like; it does not make a scrap of difference. This proposal is about the legitimate formalising of a process within the parliamentary system of the ACT. It is a good proposal and it needs support.

Question put:

That Mr Hargreaves’s motion be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Administration and Procedure—Standing Committee

Membership

MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella) (12.16): Pursuant to standing order 223 and consistent with new standing order 16(b), I move:

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