Page 1523 - Week 04 - Thursday, 29 March 2012
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remember that the first person to do that was his colleague Mr Corbell when he moved motions—
Mr Corbell: I wonder what Campbell Newman will do in Queensland.
MRS DUNNE: Look, I do not think you can take any example from parliamentary practice in Queensland—the committee practice in particular—under the Labor Party—
Mr Corbell: I wonder what Campbell Newman will do in Queensland.
MRS DUNNE: Campbell Newman has this really big problem. You could fit the members of the opposition into a Tarago. You can fit the members of the opposition into a Tarago—
Members interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, members!
MRS DUNNE: and they will be so riven by conflict that they could not organise their way out of a wet paper bag, let alone an estimates committee. But in this place it has been the consistent policy of the Canberra Liberals, and it will be the consistent policy when we occupy the treasury bench next time there is a budget, that the members of the opposition should provide the chairmanship of the estimates committee.
Mr Hargreaves: Be careful what you wish for.
MRS DUNNE: There is one thing that we know for sure, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is that Mr Hargreaves will never again have the opportunity to be the chairman of an estimates committee. Heaven help any organisation that would have Mr Hargreaves as the chairman of an estimates committee.
Mr Hargreaves: Point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am mortified. That was a reflection upon my good character and I would ask Mrs Dunne to withdraw that last comment.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, I invite you to withdraw.
MRS DUNNE: Sorry; is “heaven help” an unparliamentary term?
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, it is—
Mr Hargreaves: Madam Deputy Speaker, she is trying to do it again under the guise of a standing order. Point of order—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please sit down, Mr Hargreaves. No, it is what followed. It is what followed the statement.
MRS DUNNE: So what am I withdrawing, Madam Deputy Speaker? What are you asking me to withdraw?
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