Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Responses

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (18:23): There were 13 matters raised today: Ms Lovell to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure; Mr Berger to the Minister for Education; Mr Puglielli to the Premier; Dr Heath to the Minister for Education; Ms Payne to the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events; Ms Crozier to the Treasurer; Mr Limbrick to the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events; Mr Galea to the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events; Ms Bath to the Minister for Planning; Ms Purcell to the Minister for Environment; Mr Batchelor to the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples; Mrs McArthur to the Minister for Energy and Resources; and Mr Mulholland to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. I will make sure that all of those matters are passed on to the relevant ministers for an appropriate response.

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, I am wondering if you could give some guidance. It has been a longstanding practice in this house that members are not to display political paraphernalia. There are a number of members that are displaying ‘yes’ badges, which is obviously a political campaign that is going on for the upcoming referendum. I am wondering if you could caution those members around the rulings of the Council.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Ms Crozier. I will take that into consideration overnight. Whether to determine if it is a political –

Georgie Crozier: Of course it is.

The PRESIDENT: That is what I will determine. Given that members have been alerted that they can use their communication allowance to make people aware of this particular referendum, whether they are saying that they will vote yes or whether they are saying that they will vote no, I will take it into consideration.

Georgie Crozier interjected.

The PRESIDENT: Do you have a further point of order? Do you want to go further?

Georgie Crozier: No, I think you’ve confirmed that you’re going to allow it.

Lee Tarlamis: On the point of order, President, there has been a determination by the Department of Parliamentary Services that we are allowed to express our position. We are not allowed to advocate, but we are allowed to express our position, so –

Georgie Crozier: On the referendum?

Lee Tarlamis: Yes.

Georgie Crozier: On the point of order, President, I think this is just starting to go down a bit of a slippery slope, because once we start this, when an election comes we can all have our Liberal paraphernalia, you can have all your Labor paraphernalia and the whole place will be a circus.

Lee Tarlamis interjected.

The PRESIDENT: I think we are just having a conversation across the chamber. Let me put it under consideration, Ms Crozier.

Georgie Crozier interjected.

The PRESIDENT: I am not being negative about your point of order; I will just take it into consideration. I think there was an interjection: ‘Maybe we’ll wear “no” badges’. Well, maybe that might be the case. We will see.

The house stands adjourned.

House adjourned 6:25 pm.