Page 571 - Week 02 - Thursday, 19 February 2015
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attempt by the opposition to get control of the committee. It is very sneaky to put it on the notice paper so that all can read it! It is virtually the same motion I move every year. The tradition in this place until just recently, when this government clearly did not want scrutiny, was always for a five-member estimates committee.
It is interesting that the Treasurer seems to think the process is politicised. I note that last year’s estimates report was without dissent. That can hardly be a politicised process. But we all know the government have the numbers. The amendment will get through and the estimates process will begin. I am sure everybody will enjoy it as much as they did last year and the previous year.
Amendment agreed to.
Motion, as amended, agreed to.
Executive business—precedence
Ordered that executive business be called on.
Order of Australia
MR BARR (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Urban Renewal and Minister for Tourism and Events) (10.58): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes that since its establishment in 1975 the Order of Australia honours system has:
(a) appropriately recognised eminent Canberrans’ volunteering, scientific, fund-raising, sporting and other contributions to their community;
(b) become widely respected as reflecting modern Australia’s qualities of high achievement, inclusiveness and egalitarianism; and
(c) ensured a proper assessment process for the conferring of such recognition;
(2) further notes that the imperial designation of Knights and Dames was abolished by Prime Minister Hawke in 1983 as an anachronism that did not properly reflect a modern, confident and diverse Australia, and that Prime Minister Abbott’s resurrection of the awarding of Knights and Dames has:
(a) proven extremely divisive within the community;
(b) effectively devalued the awards previously conferred under the existing Australian honours system; and
(c) led to concerns that recipients have been selected without a full and proper assessment process;
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