Deputies voted against putting time limits on speeches during this week’s budget debate.
Policy and Resources (P&R) President Lindsay de Sausmarez had proposed limiting opening and closing speeches to seven minutes and others to five minutes – or nine and six minutes if that motion failed.
However, both motions failed, so the States’ standard rules applied, meaning deputies would have up to 15 minutes each to speak, with longer for opening and closing speeches.
Deputy Sarah Hansmann Rouxel, who voted against the motion, said it was up to deputies to show “restraint” and demonstrate to the public the chamber could “get through this debate and be disciplined”.
There was controversy during last month’s tax reform debate, when speeches were limited to as little as five minutes, with some deputies and critics saying it was an attempt to stifle democratic debate.
Speaking at this week’s debate, Deputy Simon Vermeulen said the public were “horrified” after the GST debate by shortened speeches and the ‘guillotine’ (refusing to debate certain amendments), adding: “We didn’t cover ourselves in glory.”
“You’ve all been voted in, the public think you’re important enough to be heard.”
The Assembly voted 13-26 against limiting speeches to five minutes (with seven for opening and closing speeches).
The second vote failed narrowly with 19 States Members voting to limit speeches to six minutes (with nine for opening and closing speeches), while 20 voted against.
