Page 944 - Week 03 - Thursday, 28 February 2013

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If there is going to be a decision about who is the chair of that committee, it should be a decision taken by the committee, based on who is the appropriate member to do that, based on experience and other qualifications. At no stage during any of the debate that we had on this matter was the chair of the committee mentioned. Now this is being forced upon the opposition retrospectively, without the appropriate debate.

I think it is best, based on the spirit of the debate that we had, the way it has been put forward by the minister both in correspondence and in debate on the original motion, that the discussion about who is the chair of the committee be left to that committee. Otherwise I think it is an admission from this government that the imposition of four-member committees, as we have seen with the estimates committee today—and we had an argument about that—is simply unworkable. And what has happened is that the Assembly—

Mr Corbell: On a point of order, we are debating a procedural motion as to whether or not standing orders should be suspended, not the questions around chair of the committee and so on. So I would ask you, Madam Deputy Speaker, to ask Mr Hanson to remain relevant on the procedural motion.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Corbell.

MR HANSON: On the point of order, that is exactly what I am doing. I am explaining why it is that we do not support the granting of leave for this motion, because it is inconsistent with the debate that we had earlier in this place. I am sticking to points which relate to why this opposition is not going to grant leave.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, I think you were straying into other matters that you would necessarily prosecute later when we are actually discussing the motion. So I think that you need to stay relevant or complete the debate.

MR HANSON: Madam Deputy Speaker, thanks. I think I have made my point anyway. The opposition will not be supporting the granting of leave.

Question put:

That the motion be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

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

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