Page 3193 - Week 11 - Thursday, 13 September 1990
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this morning. As I prepared this response to this inquiry I took the opportunity to consider the points raised by Mr Wood in his speech when he presented the report last year.
One of the first things I need to say is that I would also have been happy to have presented the report to the Assembly at the time. However, in view of the changes to the structure of the Assembly and committees after 5 December, it was considered appropriate for an Opposition member to be offered the opportunity to do so, as the Leader of the Opposition had in fact chaired the committee since the start of the new Assembly.
Mr Wood: What date was that?
MR JENSEN: The date, Mr Wood, for your information, is 14 December. It is the small Hansard. Of course, this tradition has been continued in the Assembly as it is structured now. Unfortunately, it would appear that some of the concerns expressed by Mr Wood in December last year regarding the potential for political abuse of our committees have come true - not, I would suggest, on the part of Government members, as he has suggested, but in fact by his own leader in her attempts - - -
Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The issue of relevance arises here. This debate is about the report on the independent inquiry against corruption; it is not about the - - -
Mr Jensen: So why did you talk about the building industry?
MR SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Berry: Why did you not take a point of order?
MR SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Berry: You have muffed it for the last two days. Why should there be any change in your behaviour?
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Berry, please! Please proceed to the point, Mr Jensen.
MR JENSEN: The point that I am really trying to make, Mr Speaker, is in answer to the points raised by Mr Wood in his speech in this debate. I presume that it is appropriate for people, when responding to debate in this place, to be able to respond to matters raised by other members on this subject. That is all I am doing, Mr Speaker, and I hope you will allow me to continue.
There have been recent attempts by the Leader of the Opposition to talk about an inquiry into the Priorities Review Board being conducted by the Public Accounts Committee prior to the bringing down of the report. Clearly, Mr Speaker, the sorts of statements that have been made - - -
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