Page 3366 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 18 September 1990
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out. I do not think that is desirable. I think that the talents of members should be used.
I regret that this parliament, which could have been different, which every person who came into this parliament said, at the time, should be different, is now following the patterns of the traditional two-party systems. Mr Moore has made the point about the Residents Rally.
Mr Jensen: This is why it is not different, Bill.
MR WOOD: Yes, I am quite comfortable in the two-party system. A Labor Party, of course, cannot grouch about that, but you will note that the Labor Party when in government last year was very innovative. Witness the budget arrangements last year - a revolution in the way that governments operate. We were innovative. Rosemary Follett made some commitments in our election speech about open government and ways of proceeding in government. It is true that the way the parliament was structured, the numbers in the parliament in the end, meant that certain systems had to apply; but the will of the Follett Government was there to see that there was open government, that everybody who wanted to had a chance to participate. But what we have seen now, coming on to a year of this Government, is a rigid two-party system.
Mr Moore made the point about the Residents Rally and what it was saying about community parties, but over and over again the actions of people in this house on the Government side are to structure this as a two-party system.
Mr Humphries: And you will be part of it, Bill. If not now, in future years you will be part of it.
MR WOOD: Well, let us wait and see. I can tell you, Mr Humphries, that you will have the opportunity to sit back here and see us working. You can throw this back at me if you wish. I will be here, Mr Duby; and you will have your chance to throw this back at us and you will have further experience of the same openness of a Follett Government. I regret that I am now in competition with seven people on this side of the house to join this committee. But it may be that we wait only a year or two before the former and better system is returned to this house.
MRS GRASSBY (9.16): Mr Speaker, I would like to move the amendment that is in my name and has gone around. I wish to change the date of reporting. I think it has been handed around. I have a copy. I move:
That paragraph (3) be amended by omitting "2 November", and substituting "5 November".
MR JENSEN (9.17): I presume I am speaking to the motion and the two amendments. Is that correct?
MR SPEAKER: Yes.
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