Page 22 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 14 February 2012
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What do the amendments do? They amend paragraph 6(a) where this apparent independent workplace audit will apply only to the Leader of the Opposition and extends it to all of the staff of ministers and members in the ACT Legislative Assembly. We have had from those opposite the rhetoric that the people of the ACT deserve to know that everything is above board in one office. Well, let us give them the guarantee that everything is above board in 17 offices in this place. Are you game to go down that path? I suspect you probably are not. I will be absolutely delighted when you all vote for my amendments.
The amendments then go on to refer to whether inappropriate payments have been made to “any staff” in this place. Let us see if you are so keen on that. You are keen to hold one member to account. Let us make sure that those who cast the first stone are without sin. Let us see where this lands, because the problem with throwing stones is that sometimes they ricochet. I suspect that if this is done in agreement with what I propose, there will be some very embarrassed members in this place.
We are all human; our staff are human. We do what we can within the bounds of the time that we have as we prioritise what we do. The problem with this motion for me is that we have some of the worst health results in the country from the Chief Minister herself, who is the Minister for Health, but we are not debating that today. When we said, “Let’s have an inquiry into obstetrics”—no. When we said, “Let’s have an inquiry into children in care”—no. Mr Doszpot asked for an inquiry into time sheets for teachers, but that did not get up either. When we said, “Let’s have an independent inquiry into the bushfire,” that did not go either. This is ridiculous. I challenge you to support my amendments. Let us see if you have that much courage. (Time expired.)
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella) (11.13): Madam Deputy Speaker, I am speaking on the amendments. Mr Smyth made much that the Chief Minister’s comments were based on rumour. That needs to be refuted in the strongest possible terms. The Chief Minister, in fact, was actually basing her comments on facts. And those facts, Madam Deputy Speaker—
Mr Doszpot interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Mr Doszpot!
Mr Doszpot interjecting—
MR HARGREAVES: are the freedom of information documents which—
Mr Doszpot interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Resume your seat, Mr Hargreaves. Stop the clock for a moment, please. Mr Doszpot, I do not want a commentary across the chamber, please. Will you remain silent while Mr Hargreaves is speaking?
Mr Doszpot: Well, he is misrepresenting the Chief Minister, Madam Deputy Speaker.
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