Page 358 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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officer has a right to respond in the public arena. In the distinction that I made with Mr Connolly's question, the things that are within the context of the Auditor-General's report will be dealt with by the Government. Anything outside that is an entirely different matter. If you cannot see the difference, then I make the point, you do not see the difference in your own conflict of interest by chairing the Public Accounts Committee.
MS FOLLETT: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Mr Kaine's response intrigues me somewhat, and I have to ask him: Does he not feel that his lack of action in relation to those agency heads undermines the Auditor-General's authority?
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, no.
Passive Smoking
MR MOORE: I asked this question the other day of Mr Duby, thinking that he was the Minister for industrial relations, and I must say that at the time he referred me to Mr Kaine. I think it would be a far better approach if members of the Government could, when somebody makes a genuine mistake, as I did on that occasion, just refer the question across to the appropriate Minister. Considering the High Court decision on smoking, is the Government intending to make a statement on the occupational health and safety ramifications of that decision? What will the Government's stance be now on ensuring that workers are protected from the negative effects of passive smoking?
MR KAINE: Clearly, a decision of that kind requires that the Government take the matter and consider it carefully. I am not in the business of making off the top of my head decisions about matters like this. It is a matter that needs to be looked at in all of its ramifications. We have adopted the view that smoking in public offices is not permissible under today's circumstances. We will look at this new development and decide what the ramifications are, but I am not going to make an off the top of my head response to it.
MR MOORE: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. I said "the High Court"; I should have said "the Federal Court". It was a Federal Court decision. Will the Chief Minister then report back to the Assembly on the ramifications of the decision, with reference to occupational health and safety?
MR KAINE: In due course, yes.
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