Page 625 - Week 02 - Thursday, 22 February 2018
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MADAM SPEAKER: Under standing order 46, thank you, Mrs Kikkert.
MRS KIKKERT: Yesterday during a debate between Ms Fitzharris and Andrew Wall the minister mentioned that she had contacted my office many hours before with an amendment to my motion. I would like her to withdraw that comment because she did not contact my office many hours before we appeared here in the chamber to debate that motion; it was, in fact, one hour and 20 minutes before. That is not “many hours” and so I seek for her to withdraw that comment. I would like to put on the record that the Greens, however, received it in the morning, so that is many hours before.
Unparliamentary language
Statement by Speaker
MADAM SPEAKER: Late yesterday evening Mrs Dunne raised a point of order where she alleged Ms Cheyne was accusing Mrs Kikkert of misleading the Assembly and that she should be requested to withdraw. I undertook to review Hansard and come back to the Assembly with a ruling. The uncorrected proof transcript has Ms Cheyne stating:
I suggest to Mrs Kikkert and to Mrs Dunne that instead of attacking Labor Ginninderra government members that we in fact work together, given we are all in furious agreement that something needs to be done with this intersection. And to help with this, I ask, with the greatest respect, that Mrs Kikkert apologise to me and to my Labor colleagues for actively and knowingly misrepresenting our actions.
As stated on page 169 of the companion, whether a particular phrase is offensive or disorderly depends on the context in which it is used, and an expression acceptable in one context may be unacceptable in another. I note that Ms Cheyne did not use the word “mislead”. Having regard to the tone and the context of the remarks, I do not consider that the phrase used by Ms Cheyne on this occasion needs to be withdrawn.
I also add that the House of Representatives Practice, which we are linked to by standing order 275, provides that any request for withdrawal of a remark must come from the member concerned, if present, and that any request must be made at the time the remark was made. I suggest that if we follow that practice these matters can be dealt with in an orderly fashion at the time they occur.
Administration and Procedure—Standing Committee
Statement by chair
MADAM SPEAKER: Pursuant to standing order 246A, I wish to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure. Standing order 16 requires the committee in each term to inquire into and report on the operation of the standing orders and continuing resolutions of the Assembly with a view to ensuring that the practices and procedures of the Assembly remain relevant and reflect practice. At its meeting on Monday, 12 February 2018 the committee
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