Page 4078 - Week 11 - Thursday, 21 September 2017
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a possibility. Some of the tweaks, especially in relation to the time frames, are welcome. As the most frequent user, I think, of this standing order, I note that there have been some issues, and we had to do a fix-up along the way in relation to the request for the ACON report.
I want to put on the record the Canberra Liberals’ concern about the piecemeal approach to changing the standing orders. There have been a number of little fix-ups that have happened in this Assembly. I and my colleagues would welcome a comprehensive root and branch review of the standing orders. Ms Cheyne may shake her head and think it is difficult—and it is difficult—but it is important work. I would refer the Speaker and members of administration and procedure to the paper presented at last year’s Presiding Officers and Clerks Conference by the Clerk of the New Zealand parliament about how the New Zealand parliament change their standing and temporary orders. In the review of standing orders which they conduct every term, any fix-up changes that need to be done are done are done as temporary measures. I think that we do not make enough use of the provisions for having temporary orders in this place.
That having been said, we are broadly supportive of this fix-up, but we will know that it works when this standing order is activated again. I do not have a real problem with it; I do not see that there is any taking away of rights of the Assembly. But I reinforce that there needs to be a root and branch review, and it needs not just to be done once but to become a regular part of the life of the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Executive business—precedence
Ordered that executive business be called on.
Parliamentary triangle—proposed sale of East Block and West Block buildings
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (11.36): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) acknowledges that the parliamentary precinct between Parliament House and the Lake has special national significance;
(2) notes that:
(a) the Federal Government has announced that it intends to sell the East Block and West Block offices in the Parliamentary Triangle, with Expressions of Interest currently open for the East Block;
(b) the East Block and West Block offices are located in the core of the parliamentary precinct close to Old Parliament House; and
(c) both buildings are an important part of Australia’s national heritage and Canberra’s own heritage. The East and West Block buildings are:
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