Page 1949 - Week 07 - Thursday, 31 May 1990
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MR HUMPHRIES (Minister for Health, Education and the Arts) (3.19): Mr Speaker - - -
Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker, regarding standing order 44.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Moore, please return to your seat. I will make a statement for your education. My priority is to allow across the floor comment in this house - one member from the Opposition matched by one member from the other party, the Government. Please understand that I will always do that.
Mr Moore: Mr Speaker, can you tell me which standing order you are referring to? Standing order 44 makes it quite clear that it is the first person to his or her feet.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Moore, for your observation.
Mr Moore: Mr Speaker, on a point of order; I said standing order 44. Would you refer me to the standing order on which you base that statement? This is what you request from any other member of this house.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Moore, if you question me again I will ask for your removal.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, may I say that your ruling is entirely appropriate and proper, and I think this is very much to the point of the issue that Mr Berry has raised in refusing to grant leave to the Chief Minister today in this unprecedented fashion. The issue is all about equity in the chamber and the access of members on both sides of the chamber to particular participation during the course of debates and question time in this Assembly. It is the view of not just this parliament but other parliaments in Australia and, indeed, in the Westminster system around the world that questions are to be distributed equally around the chamber proportionate to the membership of the parties in the chamber.
Mr Berry says that there were 11 questions asked today. I do not know whether that is true or not. When he gets embarrassed he interjects and he makes frivolous comments and that is - - -
MR SPEAKER: Order! Let me make an observation to clear the air on this matter. There were 16 questions asked, 12 by the opposition.
MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, I appreciate that additional information. I wonder who can count and who cannot count. Mrs Grassby was counting. That explains it. Say no more.
Mrs Grassby: I tell you what, Mr Humphries, I would be able to add up a lot better than you can.
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