Page 2881 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 15 August 1990
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MR SPEAKER: Order! Relevance, Chief Minister; I would see that that was - - -
MR KAINE: I have indicated already, Mr Speaker, that the question is an hypothetical question and I can only answer it hypothetically.
Members interjected.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR KAINE: If I can proceed, Mr Speaker: it is the intention of the Alliance Government to provide the Chief Minister, not only the present one but future Chief Ministers, with the ability to appoint more than three Ministers if a Chief Minister determines that is required and is necessary. Having said that, there is a long way between amending what I believe to be constrictive legislation to provide the opportunity - - -
Mr Stevenson: On a point of order, Mr Speaker; I really did only ask about costs. I really do not wish to know whether or not one will be appointed - - -
MR SPEAKER: You are debating the issue, Mr Stevenson. I take your point.
MR KAINE: Mr Stevenson does not want to know whether it might be necessary to have another Minister; he only wants to talk about costs.
Mr Stevenson: That is exactly the question. If I had another question I would ask it, Chief Minister.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR KAINE: This is not a court of law, Mr Stevenson, and we are not obliged to say "yes" or "no" to your questions. I am trying to - - -
Mr Stevenson: I did not want "yes" or "no". All I wanted was money.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Stevenson, address your remarks through the Chair, please. Chief Minister, please make your reply brief.
MR KAINE: I am attempting to do that, Mr Speaker. I could say there is not going to be any cost but that would not be sufficiently accurate because then I would be quoted out of context by somebody. The fact is that, if and when a Chief Minister appoints an additional Minister or more, the conditions under which they are appointed will be determined by that Chief Minister. It may well be that Ministers can be appointed in such a fashion that the workload currently carried by four Ministers is spread. That would entail no additional cost to the taxpayer.
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