Page 2183 - Week 10 - Thursday, 26 October 1989
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Speaker, was a very relevant date, because it was on 25 July that the Government gazetted over 100 pages of increases in fees and charges, without any prior consultation, and put them into effect from that date.
In the budget statement, the Chief Minister merely made a bland statement to the effect that, despite her earlier election promise that charges on individuals and households would not increase - - -
Ms Follett: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. The intent of the amendment here is to insert the words "or section 3C". Now, this is a wonderful debate, but I must query the relevance of the current remarks.
MR SPEAKER: Yes. Please stick closer to the point, Mr Kaine.
MR KAINE: I did not raise 25 July in this debate, Mr Speaker. It was raised by two members of the Government, so I think that it is relevant, since they raised the date. Furthermore, it is relevant in the context of consultation, because the Chief Minister promised during the election that there would be no increases on individuals and households. Yet on 25 July she published over 100 pages of the Gazette, listing increases which impact directly. It is a question of consultation, Mr Speaker.
Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker; I think Mr Kaine ought to stick to the issues. The Chief Minister has already raised the point of the debate, and he is going on in complete ignorance of that very important thing. I hope that you will rule in my favour.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Kaine, will you stick to the point of section 3C.
MR KAINE: I said that my comments would be relevant, and they are, because it gets back to this whole question of consultation. I was just giving an example of where the Government had once again failed in terms of consulting with people and breaking its previous promises. This again, of course, is a knee-jerk response to the thirteenth hour discussions that were held this morning, where they were forced into discussions.
Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, I would just ask you to rule on the point of order and encourage Mr Kaine to listen to your ruling.
MR KAINE: I think I have made my point, Mr Speaker. I do not wish to speak any further.
Amendment agreed to.
Question put:
That clause 8, as amended, be agreed to.
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