Page 1136 - Week 04 - Thursday, 29 March 1990
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Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I do not mean to be churlish, but I think Mr Collaery is discussing the substance of the matter, not the suspension of standing orders. The reason I raise this - - -
Mr Kaine: So did Mr Berry - at great length.
Mr Moore: I realise that. I raise this point now because we will run out of time on the suspension motion and not enough of us will have a chance to speak to the substantive motion.
MR COLLAERY: Those are my comments, Mr Speaker. I will be able to speak later, if necessary. I think the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Minister could put this matter easily to rest.
MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition) (5.03): Mr Speaker, I would like to support the motion to suspend standing orders because I really do think there has been a misunderstanding here. The Chief Minister did write to me - his letter is not dated, but I received it on 27 March - offering me an opportunity to respond. I would just like to read the part of my response to the Chief Minister that I think puts this matter to rest once and for all. After the opening salutation in which I thanked him for his letter, I said:
I am quite happy to accept your offer to recall the Assembly on the morning of Tuesday, 3 April, so as to allow me to respond to your statement.
Mr Collaery: Read the rest!
MS FOLLETT: I will read the rest of it - members clearly require that I do so. It goes on:
May I also offer the Labor Party's support if you wish to recall the Assembly for a full week's sitting that week.
My words were "support if you wish". The letter continued:
We believe that it would be quite productive for the Assembly to carry on its business next week. No matter what you decide about a full sitting week, I would encourage the Government -
not require the Government -
to allow question time to be held on Tuesday, 3 April 1990. It is my view that whenever the Assembly sits, private members should be given the opportunity to question the Executive.
Mr Kaine subsequently wrote to me requiring that I give an unequivocal response, although I would have thought my sentence, "I am quite happy to accept your offer" was
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