Page 4934 - Week 17 - Tuesday, 11 December 1990
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MR BERRY (3.45): This matter of public importance would not have gone ahead had the Government had the good manners to allow leave for our motion of censure against the Government of which it was advised two hours in advance. It has been the decision of the Opposition that leave will be granted for Government business which is on short notice, provided reasonable notice is given. It is significant that the Chief Minister is leaving the chamber when the failure of the Government is being debated and it is important - - -
Mr Collaery: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Chief Minister has not left the chamber and that is going in the record.
MR SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Mr Collaery: Mr Speaker, I have to raise my voice because I do not have a microphone today. It is broken.
MR BERRY: We can be thankful for small blessings.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, you were pre-emptive. The Chief Minister has not left the chamber at this time.
MR BERRY: He has left it now. It took him a little while to work out where he was going, but he has made it.
Mr Speaker, the Government's behaviour on this issue has been appalling. They have behaved reprehensibly. It all began, Mr Speaker, when members of the Government, beginning with the Minister for Urban Services, et cetera, moved away from the Assembly to deal with some Government business in Perth. The Assembly was not advised of his departure; nevertheless, he left earlier in the day. The Government Whip in the Assembly departed on Assembly business. The Chief Minister left the chamber on Chief Minister's business, one expects, to attend some sort of a function. Next, during the adjournment debate, Minister Humphries came over to me, as the manager of the Labor Party's business in the Assembly, and asked whether I would be calling for a vote.
That is quite appropriate because I think Mr Humphries would not like to be outside or away from the premises when a vote was called. That could be embarrassing. But, of course, there was no need to call any votes because it was the adjournment debate and, as far as anybody knew, the debate would proceed without anything unusual occurring.
Mr Jensen: Never trust the left.
MR BERRY: What was that?
Mr Collaery: Never trust a lefty.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
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