Thursday, 23 March 2023

Committees

Parliamentary committees

Membership

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (09:39): I move, by leave:

That:

(1) Ms Payne be a participating member of the Environment and Planning Standing Committee; and

(2) Mr Ettershank be a participating member of the Legal and Social Issues Standing Committee.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (09:40): I do want to say something. Obviously this is supported, but the issue I think is that the Integrity and Oversight Committee is a very important committee and the Legal and Social Issues Committee may well have to pick up work that it has not done. The Legal and Social Issues Committee – Mr Ettershank has gone on to that committee and it has been referred to there – is a committee that will have to take a bigger role in this Parliament if the Integrity and Oversight Committee is unable to do the work that is needed.

Harriet Shing interjected.

David DAVIS: Well, you are the one that has brought the Integrity and Oversight Committee into disrepute. You are the one who has actually behaved badly. You cut the feed.

Jaclyn Symes: On a point of order, President, Mr Davis is reflecting with unparliamentary language on a member of this chamber.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis, if you are going to make accusations against a sitting member, you need to do it in a substantive motion.

Harriet Shing: Further to the Leader of the Government’s point of order, President, I would ask that the member withdraw.

The PRESIDENT: My interpretation would be that accusations were made against a sitting member, and if a member is offended personally by what someone has said, then the member called on to withdraw should withdraw.

David DAVIS: President, I withdraw that the member cut the feed.

The PRESIDENT: Try again, Mr Davis. Can you just withdraw without any other commentary, please.

David DAVIS: I withdraw.

Motion agreed to.