Page 3742 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 17 October 1990
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MR WOOD (3.21): Mr Deputy Speaker, I support Mr Connolly on this matter. About an hour ago, the Chief Minister in his place here was making somewhat critical comments about members in committees who, perhaps, were not attending committee meetings. He was suggesting how important it was for members to play a role in committees.
I think Ms Maher has attended in full every session of that Estimates Committee. I do not think there is any doubt about that. She has given fine service to it. With some sensitivity, Mr Stefaniak, I suggest that the proposed replacement, which is you, though a fine and upstanding member of this parliament and one who is dedicated to his work, understandably has not attended any meeting of the committee because he was not expected to do so.
It seems to me to be an incredible arrangement that someone who has not been to one of the sessions so far should be proposed to replace a member. I can see no logic in that proposition. With every respect to you, I think it is a very poor way to go. I know that, if you had put your mind to it earlier, you would have done quite well.
I think that the proposal simply cannot be supported. It is not the proper way to go. It is an insult to the committee, and it raises precedents that we should in no way establish. Let us oppose this motion.
MR MOORE (3.23): Mr Deputy Speaker, in some ways I am going to echo the comments of Mr Connolly and Mr Wood. Surely, when we have sat for what must be over 100 hours at this stage - we have had eight or nine days of sitting at over 12 hours a day, so it must be of that order - I think it would be entirely inappropriate to lose one member who has attended the great majority of the meetings and the taking of evidence and to propose you to replace her.
Mrs Nolan: But, Michael, there are transcripts.
MR MOORE: Mrs Nolan interjects that there are transcripts. Of course, one of the things you miss with - - -
Mrs Nolan: It is this big.
MR MOORE: Yes, I know how big they are. Some of the things you miss with transcripts, of course, are the nuances and the inferences and so forth that have gone on - not that that makes it impossible. It would still be possible, of course, to get a sense of what had gone on in those meetings. However, I must say to you, Mr Deputy Speaker, since it is you who is proposed for that committee, that you were not involved in establishing the direction of the committee, nor were you involved in those hearings. I think that the direction of the committee has been well established. I think that it may be appropriate for you to consider whether you should make yourself available for this position or not.
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