Page 3365 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 18 September 1990
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MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR DUBY: I notice again, Mr Speaker, another muttering. Nevertheless, things are working well. I think for them to make out that this does not lead to open government is a load of baloney. What we are talking about here is the major forces on both side of this Assembly agreeing to have a system of review and a system that works well. I hate to say it, but when you get on the single independents slide you have to wear the consequences.
MR WOOD (9.11): Mr Speaker, the organisation of the Estimates Committee is different this year, or is likely to be different, from what it was last year. I thought last year's system was good. It is as simple as that. Every member who wanted to make a contribution, both in questioning and in deliberations, had the opportunity to do so. Let me raise a practical point. The work is going to be very arduous. The Estimates Committee will run five full days at least, and very likely more than that.
Mr Jensen: I was there for every one last year, Bill.
MR WOOD: For how long last year?
Mr Jensen: I do not know, but I was there for every one.
MR WOOD: You were there all the time. I would suggest that you, as chairman, were the only person who was there all the time. I recall that on many occasions the committee dropped to about three members. It had trouble maintaining even that small quorum. It is very intense. Concentration is required. It moves rapidly; sometimes slowly. But it takes up the whole time of the members who are on that committee. Nevertheless, I want to be on it. I want to be there to ask questions and to deliberate. And Mrs Grassby wants to be on it. What about Mr Stevenson? He wants to be on it. Mr Moore?
Mr Moore: I certainly do.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR WOOD: We have members - - -
Mr Kaine: I want to be on the Social Policy Committee, but you will not let me be on it.
MR WOOD: You have never asked until this moment.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR WOOD: We want to be there to be able to participate in the proceedings of that committee. Now, the Labor Party will, in the end, be forced to nominate one person of several, or five, who want to nominate. Mr Moore and Mr Stevenson and the ALP are going to go outside and fight it
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