Page 1334 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
For the benefit of members I would like to clarify that situation. Each day when the matter of public importance is drawn, as a matter of courtesy a staffer from the Speaker’s office walks down the corridor to advise members as early as possible of the topic of the MPI. That staffer is not necessarily an expert in the topics of the MPI, because members put them forward. So it was entirely unnecessary for Mrs Dunne to come into this place and belittle that staffer. I know that at times in this chamber when other parties have talked about Liberal Party staffers there have been howls of outrage.
I note that Mrs Dunne has walked out of the chamber, having made this spray at a staff member who has no ability to come in here and stand up for themself. I have actually briefly spoken to that staff member, and he did say that in a conversation with another Liberal staff member he did observe that he did not know what the social compact was, and ironically the Liberal staff member replied: “Yes. I don’t know either; I’ll have to Google it.”
So this sheer nastiness of Mrs Dunne’s approach, of coming in here and doing what she did, simply shows the depths the Liberal Party are prepared to sink to in this place. There are no boundaries. I think it is disgraceful. I would invite Mrs Dunne to reflect on her behaviour, and I suggest she should come in this place and offer an apology. There was no reason for her to make that contribution to this discussion. It was completely irrelevant to the debate at hand, it was simply snide and it is beneath members in this place to conduct themselves in that manner.
MS PORTER (Ginninderra) (3.48): It gives me great pleasure to speak to this matter of public importance today. The social compact was developed in line with this government’s vision of a Canberra in which all people reach their potential, make a contribution and share the benefits of our community. It reflects the government’s and community sector’s shared long-term vision of an inclusive community.
I also recall, along with Ms Hunter, the genesis of the social compact, then called the compact, many years ago when both Ms Hunter and I, representing peak bodies at the time, worked on a joint reference committee in relation to the proposal to establish such a compact, this being followed by extensive consultation with the community sector.
We now see the result, which is the social compact, a statement of understanding about the relationship between the ACT government and the community sector. As stated earlier by others in this place, it provides a framework for this relationship, articulating the principles of good communication and partnership, such important qualities that both the government and the community sector bring to the table.
Of course, the compact does not stand alone; it is informed by the Canberra plan and the Canberra social plan. Proudly, the ACT was the first jurisdiction in Australia to implement the social compact, as I think other members have mentioned, developed through a shared process, as I was talking about before, between government and the community sector.
Most other jurisdictions, apart from Tasmania and the Northern Territory, and including the commonwealth, now have compacts between government and the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video