Page 4151 - Week 14 - Thursday, 25 October 1990
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MR WOOD (3.26): Mr Speaker, I do not have any confidence in the Minister. And who would have confidence after sitting here for the last 20 minutes when a Minister of the Crown, supposedly with the knowledge and support of the Government, comes into this chamber to move a motion that he cannot move? Where is there any evidence of organisation or any sort of sound structure in this Government? They cannot get their act together sufficiently to move a simple motion that will be debated. How can we have confidence in Mr Humphries and his colleagues, and how can we have confidence in the strength or the weakness, might I say, of Mr Humphries' words? The last 20 minutes have been a shambles simply because you cannot organise yourselves, to use the old cliche, out of a paper bag. So, what notice can we take of you? Mr Humphries has demonstrated, I would think, very little knowledge of standing orders. Perhaps it is that there is very little interest in standing orders.
Mr Humphries: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I do have knowledge of one standing order, which is relevance, Mr Speaker. I would argue that the manner by which we came to debate this matter is not relevant to the substantive debate. I ask Mr Wood to be relevant. The issue is the censuring of Mr Berry.
MR SPEAKER: I uphold your objection, Mr Humphries. Please get to the point before us, Mr Wood.
MR WOOD: The correct interpretation of the standing orders had to be pointed out to you because you were not aware of them. I suspect that, like Mr Collaery yesterday - - -
Mr Humphries: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. The same point of order applies. Mr Wood has not - - -
MR SPEAKER: Yes, I recognise that. I thought Mr Wood was wrapping up his comments there. Please conclude those comments, Mr Wood.
MR WOOD: I am not wrapping up my comments at all. I have 13 minutes, if I wish to fill them out.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Wood! Do not debate with me. I am asking you to wrap up your comments on the line of argument you are taking at the moment.
MR WOOD: Okay, fine; I am happy to do that, Mr Speaker. It is the same as Mr Collaery yesterday when he used - or misused - strange interpretations to prevent debate. But we are happy to debate this issue. Bear in mind that it was Mr Berry who suggested that this was the correct course to take if Mr Humphries was to go down any path. So we do not back away from any debate. It might be a strange thing that a Government Minister censures a private member of this Assembly, but we are quite prepared to engage in that debate.
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