Senator Gerard Craughwell -speech from 19 Nov 2019

I regret I was out of the chamber to deliver some papers back after the last debate and have just returned so I hope the Minister will forgive me if I go through a number of concerns I have with respect to amendments 1 and 3 The Senator doesn't require forgiveness from me or from anybody else Well I know you have spent some time considering The Chair, is it appropriate that you should be prompting people to speak? Senator Rockwell, I have ruled, you have the floor Thank you very much indeed Lasko Herlich Right, we're speaking about the long title of the bill here and we're speaking about the amendment number 1 on page 7 The word advisory is one we're putting in there and we're putting that word advisory in there or seeking to amend that title to have the word advisory in there for a number of reasons As you know Lasko Herlich Article 34 1 of the Constitution provides that justice shall be administered in courts of law by judges appointed And the appointment of judges under 35 1 is the prerogative of the President And I suppose what we're trying to ensure here is that we are not taking it upon the legislation's shoulders for the want of a better description To usurp the authority of the President to appoint judges based on a recommendation that's made So it's an advisory recommendation rather than a recommendation that is made to the President when it comes to the appointment of judges And what we're trying to ensure here is that there is no ambiguity whatsoever in the legislation when it comes to pass, should it pass this House And from that perspective, I hope the Minister accepts the amendments that are made there. Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you