Page 5 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 9 February 2016
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Education, Training and Youth Affairs—Standing Committee
Membership
Motion (by Mr Gentleman) agreed to:
That Ms Fitzharris be discharged from the Standing Committee on Education, Training and Youth Affairs and Ms Burch be appointed in her place.
Standing committees—establishment
Amendment to resolution
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Planning and Land Management, Minister for Racing and Gaming and Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations) (10.05), by leave: I move:
That the resolution of the Assembly of 27 November 2012 that establishes the general purpose standing committees of the Assembly be amended by inserting the following new sub-paragraphs:
(4)(a)(iv) the Deputy Chair shall be an Opposition Member;
(4)(b)(iv) the Deputy Chair shall be an Opposition Member;
(4)(c)(iv) the Deputy Chair shall be a Government Member;
(4)(d)(iv) the Deputy Chair shall be an Opposition Member;
(4)(e)(iv) the Deputy Chair shall be a Government Member.
The committee system provides an important mechanism to double-check the work that the Assembly does, along with providing a way in which the community can have input into the Assembly through inquiries and hearings. Having a balanced and functioning set of committees is crucial to the functioning of the Assembly. If this cannot be done through the convention, it has to be done through the standing orders, for the benefit of the ACT community.
This motion sets the side of the chamber from which both the chair and deputy chair must come. This means that these positions are shared between political parties in an even way. This has been done through the convention during the Eighth Assembly until now, and it would have been preferable for this convention to continue. However, it is obvious that this is not able to occur due to a lack of cooperation.
This disruption by the opposition amounts to nothing more than a continued personal attack which is vindictive and deplorable. It shows the immaturity of those on the other side of this chamber. We on this side of the chamber want to allow the Assembly to continue its functions to serve the ACT community to the best of its ability. Clearly, that is not the goal of the opposition. The opposition need to be cooperative through this process. As I said, this clears the convention that has been accepted during this Assembly and previous Assemblies.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video