Page 1782 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 May 2013

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(a) making a commitment to the role and significance of Canberra in the life of our nation;

(b) maintaining the number of public service jobs in Canberra; and

(3) Omit paragraph (3), substitute:

“(3) calls on the Speaker to write to Mr Abbott:

(a) expressing the Assembly’s support for the ACT retaining its role as the home of Australia’s national institutions and the Australian Public Service; and

(b) asking that he respond in writing to the Assembly on his intentions for the Australian Public Service, including any current plans to relocate departments, agencies or other Canberra-based entities outside of the ACT.”.

Members, I do not intend to speak to this. I think the issues have been fully canvassed. I am happy for it to go straight to the vote.

MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (6.05): The opposition will not be supporting these amendments. Again, they miss the point and I will go to it. This is a politically motivated motion. Mr Rattenbury is trying to create an impression that he is trying to play both sides, that he has considered the arguments and has balanced this and balanced that. As we see repeatedly, what we are seeing from Mr Rattenbury is that he is siding with the government and essentially supporting their endeavours.

This is so much the case that we saw Minister Burch’s enthusiasm for Mr Rattenbury’s amendment. She was quoting from it before it was even moved. She was reading from it with glee. She was saying that this is fantastic stuff—“I love this. I am going to ignore the original motion.” She said, “I am actually going to quote from Mr Rattenbury’s amendment, because I love that stuff. I love what he is doing.” We have certainly seen it from Mr Rattenbury. We have not just seen it today. We have seen it on other occasions when he said, “DV306—I am concerned that there are these problems, but I will vote with Labor; no worries, mate.” Remember Gonski this morning? Mr Doszpot will reflect that—

Mr Corbell: Point of order.

MR HANSON: You know, there is Gonski—

MADAM SPEAKER: Point of order, Mr Corbell.

Mr Corbell: Relevance.

Members interjecting—

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