Page 555 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 1991
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MR SPEAKER: Is leave granted?
Mr Wood: Let us go backwards and forwards, as is usual.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry had the floor for so long then that I thought it had been his turn last, but I will go back to the normal convention, Mr Collaery.
MR WOOD, by leave: The Chief Minister has just dropped a giant bucket - not on Mr Berry, but on his two colleagues who form part of the participating committee. The Chief Minister has said that without Mr Berry the committee cannot work. What does that say of the two members on the committee? In fact, the Chief Minister has pinpointed the real problem. The problem with the committee is that the two members cannot agree. A basic difference of opinion between the Rally and Liberal philosophies is emerging through this committee.
It is true that if Mr Berry were on the committee the committee would work. Mr Berry would be of substantial benefit to any committee, and would considerably improve the quality of whatever committee he served on. The Chief Minister was ill advised to pour a bucket of scorn on his two colleagues who are unable to come to a clear decision on what should be a relatively simple matter.
I will go on to add some comments of my own that constitute a concern that I was prepared to keep within myself for some time. I was prepared to remain silent, because I am very proud of the committee system as it operates in this Assembly; but, frankly, this is one matter that should never have come to a committee. I do not think that the place of a billboard on City Hill has such priority as to occupy the time - and in this case so much time - of a committee. It is simply not worthy of that level of discussion in a committee. One day recently I was in the traffic going along Northbourne Avenue, heading towards that sign, when there was some debate on radio about "will we or won't we" have that massive sign. The general view coming through was one that I have to support, and it was one of scorn for the fact that we were even looking at. There was scorn that it should have been dealt with at all.
Then we have had the on again, off again decisions. The inability to come to what I would think are clear decisions on this matter reflects the fact that the committee has not worked. It has not worked because Mr Berry was not on it. That is true; he has not bent his enormous talent to it. It has not worked because of the difficulties between the factions, if you like, in the Alliance Government. Really, Chief Minister, you did put your finger on it. It has not worked because of the way that you have structured the committees.
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