Page 1134 - Week 04 - Thursday, 29 March 1990
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have just been discussing. I now find it obviously necessary to seek leave to be absent from Australia from about 4 May to 20 May 1990. I move:
That Dr Kinloch be granted leave of absence for the period 4 May to 20 May 1990.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND TEMPORARY ORDERS
MR BERRY (4.55): I move:
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent Mr Berry from moving a motion relating to the Assembly sitting on Tuesday, 3 April 1990.
The reason that I have moved this motion, Mr Speaker, is that the Chief Minister this evening gave his budget strategy statement, and it is a matter of custom that the Leader of the Opposition be given the opportunity to respond to the strategy statement at an early moment. My motion seeks to ensure that this house sits again next Tuesday, 3 April, at the usual time and that the first item of business is the Leader of the Opposition's response to the Chief Minister's budget strategy statement, no more than that.
Mr Kaine: Make it the only item of business and you will get approval - that was the proposition that was put to your leader.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, in response to that interjection, which was that we should make it the only item of business, I am sure that the Government, if it wished to, could muster the numbers to ensure that it was. It is the intention of the Labor Opposition to ensure that the Leader of the Opposition is able to respond to the Chief Minister's budget statement at the normal commencing time - that is, 2.30 pm, the time at which question time normally begins. The issue of whether there should be any other business seems to me to be a matter for the Government and the numbers on the day.
Whilst we have indicated in writing to the Chief Minister that we would prefer to have more sitting days, and that we would prefer to have question time next Tuesday, the Government has made it very clear that it does not want to proceed in that way. From the Opposition's point of view, and from that of the community also, it is important that the Leader of the Opposition has the opportunity to respond and give an alternative view of the Chief Minister's budget strategy statement.
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