Chris Bourke returned to the back bench to make way for Shane

I was certainly hoping Ms Burch got the flick.

caf said :

Tymefor said :

Gungahlin Al said :

Well think about it – the Speaker can’t vote on general votes. They have a casting vote, but convention is the vote is always cast for the status quo.
ALP need the numbers to govern, and governing means making changes so the status quo is no good. So the Speaker role goes to Liberal. Otherwise, everything would be 8:8.

The speaker can vote in general votes, I think its actually called a deliberative vote, just like every other member. He/She does not have a casting vote either.

This is right. S161 of the standing orders, if you want to check.

Righto. I stand corrected.

Not good news. It means Belconnen has no Minister – so no one in Cabinet where the real decisions are made. I guess that’s what we deserve for loyal, unquestioning support that gives them more seats without even much of a campaign.

Even worse, it means Joy Burch and Corbell both stay. I was really hoping one of them would get the flick.

Tymefor said :

Gungahlin Al said :

Well think about it – the Speaker can’t vote on general votes. They have a casting vote, but convention is the vote is always cast for the status quo.
ALP need the numbers to govern, and governing means making changes so the status quo is no good. So the Speaker role goes to Liberal. Otherwise, everything would be 8:8.

The speaker can vote in general votes, I think its actually called a deliberative vote, just like every other member. He/She does not have a casting vote either.

This is right. S161 of the standing orders, if you want to check.

Gungahlin Al said :

Well think about it – the Speaker can’t vote on general votes. They have a casting vote, but convention is the vote is always cast for the status quo.
ALP need the numbers to govern, and governing means making changes so the status quo is no good. So the Speaker role goes to Liberal. Otherwise, everything would be 8:8.

The speaker can vote in general votes, I think its actually called a deliberative vote, just like every other member. He/She does not have a casting vote either.

Well think about it – the Speaker can’t vote on general votes. They have a casting vote, but convention is the vote is always cast for the status quo.
ALP need the numbers to govern, and governing means making changes so the status quo is no good. So the Speaker role goes to Liberal. Otherwise, everything would be 8:8.

Any word on the Speaker? Perhaps that’s where Bourke is headed?

I don’t know why they didn’t just expand the ministry by one member – surely that’s one of the advantages of bringing Rattenbury in (and having an extra Labor MLA too). I had the feeling that the existing ministry was stretched a little thinly.

I heard a bit about this on the radio this morning. Katy was saying that obviously you would look to a junior minister to vacate a position. My immediate thought was why not ease someone out who had a woeful result from the election, who should have done better given their history and level of responsibility…Corbell perhaps? Might make his exit from Government easier when the time comes.