Page 394 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 21 February 1990
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also note that there is no reference to the make-up of the committee in the amendment, but that is something that can easily be negotiated between all members of the Assembly.
MR WOOD (11.56): Mr Speaker, I am not sure what we have achieved today. I do know that we have not achieved the success that I think this motion deserves. We have not seen the vote, but one can anticipate what it is going to be. We have achieved a remarkable position with the statement of the Executive Deputy, while Mr Kaine has been speaking for the Minister for Justice, the Attorney-General, which seems to me a unique and unusual approach.
Mr Jensen made it clear that we could have a briefing by senior departmental officers on what was happening. Well, I thank him for that, that is appreciated, but I think he missed the point of the debate. I would be interested in that, but I would be much more interested in knowing what the broad community thinks - that is what this is all about. To me, that is the much more important information that we ought to be seeking. I thank Mr Jensen, but really he has not indicated what we need to have.
I am sorry that the debate went the way it did. Mr Collaery started by acknowledging our good intentions on this matter. After that, Mr Humphries and Mr Kaine - those two gentlemen particularly - got up and disagreed with Mr Collaery, questioning our motives entirely. Now, I am sorry it went that way. We are sincere in wanting to get the best possible result and we did not want to take a political run. As shadow Minister on this matter, I have not been out there hitting the media with all sorts of claims. I have been waiting for this to come up so that we could take this more responsible approach.
I come to a matter that I did not think would be discussed today, and that is the position of the ALP members in committees. Members on the other side have claimed that we are neglecting our duties; that my colleagues are neglecting their duties by not participating in committees. Mr Speaker, there are, as I am sure you know, a number of outstanding matters that the Opposition wants settled relating to committees, in particular the role of the Executive Deputies. Ms Follett, my leader, indicated our determination that the committees should be committees of the parliament. There must not be any threat or any potential that they will be committees of the Government. Among the questions that we do want resolved is that of the role of Executive Deputies. I have mentioned in conversations with my colleagues on the opposite side of the house that we believe it inappropriate that Executive Deputies should chair committees in areas where they have a comparable responsibility as Executive Deputy.
I can say to Mr Kaine and Mr Stefaniak, and anybody else who raised this question, that when you get your act together, when you negotiate with the ALP on that matter, the committee system will be up and running properly as it
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