Cullen Michael: Appointments — Deputy Speaker and Assistant SpeakersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCullen Michael: Appointments — Deputy Speaker and Assistant Speakers[Sitting date: 09 December 2008. Volume:651;Page:17. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Labour): The Labour Party will be supporting this motion. We recognise the right of the new Government with a clear majority to move the motions regarding these appointments in the fashion it sees fit. I do want to make a few comments. The first obviously is to join with Mr Brownlee in congratulating you Mr Speaker on your appointment. We look forward to working cooperatively with you on many occasions and to assisting you from time to time with points of order as they may prove to be either necessary or desirable—the two of course not always being the same thing within Parliament.The second point I want to make is that the House has just seen an example of what we have already become familiar with previously from the members opposite—in the Business Committee and elsewhere—which is that the new Government has not yet actually learnt how to run its own business. Indeed as at 8.30 this morning it was still unable to tell us what business it was taking under urgency this week but one could hear the stress in the voice of Mr Brownlee as he conveyed that news to the senior Opposition whip. We look forward to helping him further on these matters as we have with these appointments today. It had been originally intended to move these appointments during urgency rather than before urgency which would have invited the Opposition to debate each of these motions down to closure which I believe would not have been in the best interests of good order in the House.There are one or two additional points I would like to make. It is unfortunate I believe—but perhaps inevitable given certain changes—that for the first time for many years there is no woman amongst the four presiding officers within the House. I hope that that situation can be changed as expeditiously as possible—without suggesting that anybody should undergo any drastic changes in that particular regard. Secondly I think it is slightly unfortunate that the Government did not decide to follow the precedent set following the last election whereby the two most senior positions were shared between the two major parties within the House. But I understand that the Government has the right to move in that regard.I should also say without wanting to cast any aspersions upon Mr Tisch who is a person I greatly respect in terms of his performance within the House over many years that I personally would have preferred to see Mr Roy as the Deputy Speaker because he has had long experience in the Assistant Speaker’s role. He has very large respect on this side of the House in terms of his abilities his breadth of knowledge and indeed his very wide experience in terms of reading and other matters. But that is not to be the case and Mr Speaker it is good to see that you have both a small hand and a large hand to help you in the two presiding officers from the National Party. The Hon Rick Barker will be happy to assist in those matters as well as we move forward.With those few remarks I say I am very happy that we are supporting these motions. We look forward to working with the new presiding officers.