Page 875 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 27 March 1990
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MR COLLAERY (Attorney-General), by leave: I simply wish to put on the record that any difficulties to which Mr Whalan refers were not derived from any instruction, suggestion or inference given by this Government to either the Legislative Drafting Office, or to legislative counsel. If there were problems, they relate to the general settling down arrangements that this Assembly is still going through. I welcome Mr Whalan's statement. Clearly, prioritisation is occurring within the capacity of that office to perform the drafting work for the Opposition and other members.
ADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURES - STANDING COMMITTEE - RESTRUCTURING THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM
Report
Debate resumed from 22 March 1990, on motion by Mr Prowse:
That the report be noted.
MR JENSEN (3.48): Mr Speaker, this report provides the basis, or the commencement if you like, of an important review of the current committee system that has been in place and operated since 23 May 1989, when the initial proposals were moved by Mr Whalan, to establish the Administration and Procedures, Public Accounts, Planning, Development and Infrastructure and Social Policy, standing committees.
At that time, Mr Speaker, there was some concern on the part of the Opposition about the degree of consultation that took place before those committees were actually established. That concern was subsequently reflected in changes to the terms of reference for those committees, following pressure from the then Opposition.
It is important to realise that what we now have is a proposal resulting from all parties within the Assembly having an opportunity to put their case forward to the committee that has the responsibility for the operations of the house - that is, the Administration and Procedures Committee.
A number of select committees have been established since those early days and many have now completed their work. I will refer to some of those later in my remarks. Others, of course, still have to report. The work of the committees that were set up in the early days has been, I would suggest, an important part of our Assembly operations.
It is unfortunate at times that due publicity has not been given to the work of the members on various committees. At this stage I would like to pay due tribute to Mr Wood who, in his early days, was the Labor Party's only representative on committees within the Assembly. At
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