Page 3431 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 19 September 1990
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However, in Australia, our society has adopted what some would argue to be not a very appropriate course. People like, say, Fred Nile, for example, may suggest that we adopt a far too liberal attitude to this sort of issue. But in Australia these sorts of matters are personal. They relate to the personal relationships between the member and whoever that member is involved with. That is the major difference. I would suggest that there are plenty of situations in parliaments throughout Australia where, if the press applied to their legislators the codes that apply in America, there would be some rather embarrassing situations. But our society has adopted a different view. We therefore get into some sorts of problems in relation to this issue of personal matters. Who is going to be judge and jury on what is right and what is wrong in those aspects?
Mr Wood spoke about the provisions applying in the United States in relation to the Speaker of one of the legislatures having to resign because of some actions that he took that were seen to be inappropriate for his office as Speaker. In Australia, and in every other country where the Westminster principles apply effectively, members who breach those sorts of principles in relation to propriety are generally asked to resign, or they resign because of the pressure brought upon them by the media and others. But these are matters that relate to their actions within the Assembly or legislature, not their personal actions. I am sure Mr Wood would suggest that those of us who may be put in such a position would examine very carefully our conscience in relation to the issue. We would make that decision based on whatever beliefs we may have.
Mr Wood also seemed concerned about the ability of the Administration and Procedures Committee to focus on one issue. As Mr Wood well knows, each standing committee has been required from time to time to focus all its attentions on a particular issue. The Social Policy Committee, for example, over a period of time focused very carefully on the needs of the ageing and produced a very good report. It has focused a lot of its attention in recent times on the fluoride issue. So it is possible for a committee to focus its ideas on a particular issue, sort the problem out, bring down a report and then get on to the next issue. The matter before the Administration and Procedures Committee on standing orders 200 and 201 demonstrates quite clearly that it is possible for it to look very carefully at that issue. So I do not see that matter raised by Mr Wood as a major problem.
It is my view that such a small Assembly as ours cannot be compared in any way with the larger legislatures which have ample members to serve on such committees. For example, very early in the life of the Assembly we amended the standing orders to replace three committees with one. In fact, it is the very committee that replaced the procedures, administration and business committees that were set up in the standing orders - three separate
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