Thursday, 23 February 2023

Simon Ward

Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (10:00): I would like to acknowledge Mr Simon Ward of Ballarat for his tremendous work in raising awareness of bowel cancer. Simon has raised $11,300 for the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute along with his wife Sam, who has raised $1500, and this was reported just in the last week in the Ballarat Courier. Simon did this through his efforts in cycling in the lead-up to the Ballarat Cycle Classic, which was just held this previous weekend. I worked with Simon early in my career and I know him to be a kind, generous and community-minded person. I pay tribute to Simon because I know that he himself is also going through treatment for bowel cancer, and I wish him all the very best in this.

Lizzie Blandthorn: On a point of order, President, I would ask that you review Mr Davis’s notice of motion asking for Minister Pearson to give a statement in the Assembly. In Rulings from the Chair, whilst it is not exactly the same, I know that the same principle could indeed apply where it says that notices of motion asking Legislative Assembly members to provide an explanation to the Council are not admissible. As such, a request is not within the Council’s capacity to enforce, and I would argue that this is similar and I would ask that you review it, please.

David Davis: On the point of order, President, the point of my motion was that the Council would communicate via the Clerk that we think Mr Pearson ought to give such a statement. And in that sense it is not asking him to do it, it is communicating the view of the chamber.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis, I think you are debating the point of order. I would never discourage anyone from doing any notice of motion or any part of the standing orders in an immediate fashion, but there has been a practice – which we appreciate – that notices of motion do most of the time go through the Clerk so we can check if they are allowable via the standing orders. I had a conversation with the Clerk, Minister Blandthorn, after Mr Davis did his notice of motion, and my concern aligns with your concern as in your point of order, so I was going to review it anyway and alert Mr Davis if we cannot put it onto the notice paper as it stands. So he might get another go at something next sitting week.