Page 3304 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 22 August 2012

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The motion to suspend standing orders is to permit me to move together amendments to this bill that are minor and technical in nature.

MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (11.19): The Canberra Liberals do not propose to give leave on this matter because they are not minor and technical and these matters have not gone to the scrutiny of bills committee. The amendments that were circulated by the attorney to me in draft form yesterday, and have been circulated in the chamber today, insert a whole new clause which introduces new material. These are not minor amendments; they have not had any discussion in the community and they have not been scrutinised by the scrutiny of bills committee. These are not minor and technical, and this is an abuse of the standing orders. This is why the Canberra Liberals do not propose to give leave and will not support the motion for the suspension of standing orders.

MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (11.20): The Greens will support the motion for the suspension of standing orders. We believe that the amendments, whilst perhaps they should have been included in the original bill, fall within the scope of the bill and help clarify some of the intent of elements of the bill. On that basis, we think it is appropriate to bring them into the discussion this evening.

Question put:

That Mr Corbell’s motion be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 11

Noes 6

Mr Barr

Mr Hargreaves

Mr Coe

Mr Smyth

Dr Bourke

Ms Hunter

Mr Doszpot

Ms Bresnan

Ms Le Couteur

Mrs Dunne

Ms Burch

Ms Porter

Mr Hanson

Mr Corbell

Mr Rattenbury

Mr Seselja

Ms Gallagher

Question so resolved in the affirmative, with the concurrence of an absolute majority.

MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (11.22): I move amendments Nos 1 to 3 circulated in my name together and table a supplementary explanatory statement to the government amendments [see schedule 2 at page 3325].

I will briefly speak to these minor and technical amendments.

Amendment No 1 inserts a new clause that contains a framework for recognising relationships from other jurisdictions as civil unions for territory law. What a terribly

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