Page 767 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 1990
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MR SPEAKER: Please, Mr Whalan! Order!
Mr Collaery: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, that was not a comment addressed to the motion. That was a comment made in the house and I would ask that the member be reprimanded and that he withdraw it.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Collaery. I ask you to withdraw that comment, Mr Whalan. It was not addressing the motion before the house. The motion is for you to extend time; therefore you are not addressing the motion. Would you please withdraw that comment?
MR WHALAN: Yes, I withdraw it. In speaking to my motion in support of suspending standing orders, could I draw to the attention of the chamber that the censure motion is the most important motion which has been before this Assembly this year? This motion is before the Assembly because of the reprehensible circumstances which gave rise to its being moved. In fairness, when Mr Jensen was subjected to a number of interjections and points of order, mainly from his own side, we agreed to an extension of time for him. I might add that time was also taken up when, halfway through his speech, Mr Jensen moved an amendment. The appropriate time for him to move it was at the beginning of his speech.
In view of those circumstances, we agreed that Mr Jensen should be given an extension of time so that he could continue his comments on this motion. I believe that this motion is so fundamentally important that that was a right that should have been given to Mr Jensen and we gave it generously, Mr Speaker. We gave it generously and then we were rewarded by this sort of behaviour. Not only are we denied an extension of time so that I can have a few moments to complete my comments on the motion and the amendment to the motion but also the Chief Minister - - -
Mr Collaery: On a point of order, I do not believe the member is addressing the issue, but I wish to inform the house that we do not object to this gentleman having five more minutes to address the motion.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Whalan, do you wish to withdraw your motion?
MR WHALAN: In that case, I seek leave to withdraw my motion for the suspension of standing and temporary orders.
Leave granted.
MR WHALAN: I thank all members of the Assembly; it is most gracious of them to give me the extra time. I think it is only fair and it does acknowledge the importance of this issue. What we have seen is an understandable defensive reaction of the pack around Mr Collaery. This is quite normal, and I am sure the psychologists would have an explanation for the type of protective behaviour that we have seen demonstrated by members on the other side.
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