Page 2035 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 25 October 1989
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Deputy Chief Minister can get one of his colleagues to elucidate.
MR DUBY (11.13): Having just listened to that tirade from Mr Collaery, I would like to point out to the Assembly that only one out of the number of statements that he made there was correct. He said that Mr Kaine was right; and Mr Kaine is right. This matter has been dealt with in the past. It is a simple administrative arrangement for Mr Stevenson to be able to employ consultants, if he so wishes, by arrangements with you, Mr Speaker, and with the Chief Minister. Accordingly, in view of the fact that we have the LA(MS) Bill following, presumably this afternoon, this motion has been an enormous waste of time. I shall not waste the time of the Assembly any further. I support Mr Kaine in his opposition to this motion and will vote accordingly.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister) (11.14): The Government opposes both Mr Stevenson's motion and the amendment that has been moved by Mr Jensen. Some of the very good reasons for that position have been mentioned by Mr Kaine and Mr Duby, but basically we have had before this Assembly for some months the Legislative Assembly (Members' Staff) Bill. I think it is very reprehensible that we have been unable to deal with that Bill when each and every one of us has staff employed and yet we are unwilling to make adequate legislative provision for them which that Bill would allow.
Instead, we are constantly faced with expressions of opinion put up by Mr Stevenson, upon which he seeks to get the support of this Assembly and which seek to divert attention from the legislation, which surely is our first task. I cannot understand why the Assembly even entertains that kind of approach to the employment of staff. It is a matter which should be legislated for, not subject to constant ad hoc motions, invariably put up by Mr Stevenson.
Mr Collaery: What are you going to do this afternoon? Are you going to give us the right to consultants in the Bill this afternoon?
MS FOLLETT: Mr Collaery interjects about the Legislative Assembly (Members' Staff) Bill. Well, why do we not deal with that? Why are we dealing with this silly motion? Mr Speaker, you know as well as I do that Mr Stevenson not only has constantly sought to operate by an expression of opinion of this Assembly, but has also flouted your instructions from time to time on matters of staffing. He constantly seeks by this kind of motion to gain justification for doing exactly what he wants to do on the matters of staffing; for doing whatever he wishes regardless of what legislation might be in the Assembly, regardless of what good staffing practice might be. The Government opposes both the motion and the amendment and I would urge the Assembly to get on with the legislation which deals properly with these matters.
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