7th March 2017
Mr WALSH (Murray Plains) – I have the privilege of seconding the nomination of the member for Evelyn for the position. As all honourable members who have any decency would know there is a crisis of confidence in the very democracy that our forefathers and our foremothers died to protect. For the first time in the 700 years history of the Westminster system we have witnessed the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker having to resign because they have been rorting the taxpayers of Victoria – the two very people who were elected unopposed two years ago to uphold the dignity and integrity of this Parliament. And they have failed with the Deputy Speaker apparently having no remorse for his rorting of taxpayer funds in Victoria.
It is a pleasure to second the nomination of the member for Evelyn someone who has a proven track record in conducting the business of this house in an impartial way someone who can actually reinstate the dignity of the Speaker in this state someone who can actually restore the confidence of Victorians in their parliamentary system.
The Premier’s captain’s pick will not work for this house. Someone who is aspiring to be a minister in the future just cannot be impartial in this house because that person will constantly be auditioning to those on the right-hand side of the house for his job as a minister in the future. He will not be able to be impartial particularly with the issues that need to be investigated about the rorting by the member for Tarneit and the member for Melton. We need an impartial Chair in this house so Victorians can actually have confidence that the system is working and not continuing to be rorted by those opposite.