Page 5961 - Week 14 - Thursday, 8 December 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
I am aware of two families that are meeting as families around residence of their children and of facilitating those children or young adults, needing to make sure that it works for them. There is no average time. It is around making those placements as compatible as we can.
MS LE COUTEUR: Supplementary.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Le Couteur.
MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, what is the average time that a bedroom in a group home remains empty?
MS BURCH: I think I answered that in the previous question. There is no average time. It is around making sure that we match as best we can the residents of the group home, for obvious reasons: they are living together; they share common space; some of them choose to share care arrangements as well, and other services that come into the household.
Speaker—role
MR HANSON: Mr Speaker, my question is for you. On 24 November the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Harry Jenkins, resigned so that he could become involved in party political matters. In his resignation speech he said, and I quote:
My desire is to be able to participate in policy and parliamentary debate, and this would be incompatible with continuing in the role of Speaker.
Standing order 275 of the Legislative Assembly standing orders states:
Any question relating to procedure or the conduct of business of the Assembly not provided for in these standing orders or practices of the Assembly, shall be decided according to the practice at the time prevailing in the House of Representatives in the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Mr Speaker, is your continued engagement in regular partisan political and policy debate incompatible with your continuing in the role of Speaker based on current House of Representatives practice and standing order 275 of the Legislative Assembly?
Mr Hargreaves: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, with respect to those opposite, question time is usually for questions to be directed to ministers and yourself in areas for which you have responsibility. I would contend that this is asking for an opinion and the standing orders preclude the asking of opinions.
Mrs Dunne: On the point of order, Mr Speaker, Mr Hanson’s question is clearly asking you as the Speaker for an interpretation of the standing orders, which is your job.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video