Page 1364 - Week 07 - Thursday, 24 August 1989
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I move that motion, Mr Speaker, because since the report was tabled and since members spoke previously there has been a significant lapse of time and there have been quite important developments. I think that the Assembly and Canberra can benefit from the expertise which the members of the committee have in relation to that matter.
Question resolved in the negative.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND TEMPORARY ORDERS
Motion (by Mr Humphries) proposed:
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent the resumption of debate on private members' business motion of Mr Stevenson being called on and continuing for a further 30 minutes.
MR WHALAN (Deputy Chief Minister) (3.57): I am rising to my feet to oppose that, Mr Speaker. There is Government business before the house. There was an agreement made between the parties today, which was confirmation of an agreement made yesterday, that we would take 35 minutes for private members' business in today's program. We have honoured that undertaking. The 35 minutes have been provided to the very second. Breaching an undertaking of that sort makes you wonder what is the worth of negotiations when we set the program for business.
We have important business from the Government before this chamber, and this quite clearly is designed to frustrate that intention. If people are going to stick to deals which are made then they must stick to them as they are agreed. There is no point in chopping and changing on the floor of the chamber just to suit some new coalition arrangement or some new opportunity to share in a particular rort. I would urge members of the chamber to vote against the suspension, to stick to the deal which was made yesterday and again confirmed today, and to allow the Government to continue with its business.
MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (3.59): I find Mr Whalan's response to the proposal quite curious. We sought an extension for 35 minutes of private members' time to make up for the time that we lost yesterday. There is nothing implicit in that that we cannot at a later time seek to further extend the time.
Is Mr Whalan suggesting that there is some sort of cast-iron deal for which only the Labor Party can lay down the terms? That is patently ridiculous, Mr Speaker. There is not only some Government business on the agenda, not a great deal of
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