Page 941 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 20 March 2012
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We have been here recently questioning Mr Hargreaves’s performance, so from the opposition’s point of view, and I would have thought from the whole chamber’s point of view, enough is enough. We have seen him attacking members of the community, the Tuggeranong Community Council. We have seen him making—
Mr Hargreaves: Point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: One moment, Mr Hanson. Stop the clock, thank you.
Mr Hargreaves: Mr Speaker, this is a serious matter and this motion that Mr Hanson has moved talks about my capacity as an Assistant Speaker in this place. They are bringing into the debate not only subjects which may be irrelevant but also reflection on debates which have happened in this chamber before.
MR HANSON: Mr Speaker, on the point of order.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Hanson, on the point of order.
MR HANSON: The point I am getting to is Mr Hargreaves’s conduct as an MLA, which recently led to him having to resign a position of authority within the Assembly, and I think it is relevant, in the debate which is about his fitness to perform a role that presides over MLAs, to bring into focus Mr Hargreaves’s performance as an MLA and his performance that led to him resigning recently as the government whip. So I do think it is relevant to this debate. It is not an issue that I am intending to dwell upon, but I think it points to the fact that this is not an isolated aberration in behaviour.
MR SPEAKER: On the point of order, Mr Hargreaves.
Mr Hargreaves: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. In fact I did ask whether or not this was a previous debate which had occurred. Assistant Speaker Dunne received information that it was not. However, in the answer to my question she indicated to me that in fact it was about me being asked to resign as Assistant Speaker, and I would argue that that same material was discussed at that time, and the same cases put at that particular time, which were concluded, and that should be the end of it.
MR SPEAKER: On the point of order, Mrs Dunne, if you are happy, I will just make the ruling, then you can express concern if you need to. On the point of order, this motion is specifically about Mr Hargreaves’s capacity as Assistant Speaker. I accept Mr Hanson’s point that there is some breadth to discuss whether the Assembly feels that Mr Hargreaves’s conduct makes him fit to be an Assistant Speaker—I think that is within the scope of the debate—but I would ask you not to re-prosecute the debate we had during the last sitting, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not my intent to. What I am trying to draw to members’ attention is that the performance of Mr Hargreaves this afternoon is not an isolated incident when it comes to his performance in this Assembly, and that that performance has included, just of late, a requirement for him to write letters of
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