Page 1357 - Week 07 - Thursday, 24 August 1989
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dedication and across a broad range of issues. I cannot understand, Mr Speaker, why these members who are performing such a valuable function are not considered by Mr Stevenson to be relevant comparisons.
What the Government did originally propose was an allocation of one personal staff member for each Assembly member, with some extra resources being allocated to office holders and to the Executive to recognise their extra workload and responsibilities - quite proper recognition, quite modest recognition. However, Mr Speaker, following the persistent representations from other parties, we agreed to increase the salary level for individual members' staff to a point well beyond the entitlement of equivalent State or Northern Territory politicians. I would ask all members to note that well.
For the major parties we also agreed to the allocation of limited administrative assistance to provide receptionist and typing services to their grouped offices. Mr Wood does not enjoy that convenience, the No Self Government Party does not enjoy that convenience, Mr Stevenson does not enjoy that convenience. Nevertheless, the service is available through the Assembly itself.
Mr Speaker, I think we should also remember that Mr Stevenson believes there should be no Assembly at all, let alone any staff for Assembly members. He does already have access to typing resources in the Assembly Secretariat, as I have said, and these resources were included in the Assembly's budget prior to self-government, in the expectation that such an arrangement would apply to all members. The Government considers that Mr Stevenson is more than adequately catered for and can see no logical basis to the salary figure he is now demanding.
Mr Speaker, as to the second part of Mr Stevenson's motion, the Government will not countenance an arrangement which could amount to simple tax avoidance. Legal it may be; proper it is not. I would suggest to all members that it would serve this Assembly well if we were to adopt the very highest standards of propriety in all that we do, including the hiring of our staff.
I was astonished to learn that the salary allocation already provided to Mr Stevenson was being paid to a company which was providing him with office services. I think that that puts Mr Stevenson well beyond the kinds of provisions that have been made to assist Assembly members, well beyond the kinds of provisions that such excellent members as Mr Wood, Mr Duby and Ms Maher have found adequate. I might say they have made excellent use of them and have been able to speak on any number of topics within this Assembly. From Mr Stevenson all we ever hear is about his staffing allocation.
Mr Speaker, the only interpretation that I feel you can give to an arrangement of hiring a company to provide
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