Page 660 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 1991
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This is a very important issue for the Assembly; it is about the independence of these committees. In point (6) there is a prohibition on the presiding member being an Executive Deputy with responsibilities relevant to the legislation.
Dr Kinloch: I know of no such prohibition.
MR BERRY: If you read the amendment, it will come to you, Dr Kinloch. That is the very fundamental reason behind this proposal. What the Government is going to do is involve a committee which has been, effectively, boycotted because of the Government's inaction on responding to the needs of the Assembly in respect of the independence of committees. The Chief Minister, in response to a prod this morning, said that he had considered the matter and had decided that there would be no change to the current situation; that is, that the involvement of the Executive on committees, through its Executive Deputies, had his endorsement.
Mr Kaine: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I made no such statement. I did not say anything about the involvement of the Executive in committees. That is a deliberate misstatement, and I want the record corrected.
MR SPEAKER: I am not sure just what was said. Mr Berry, would you withdraw that under the circumstances?
MR BERRY: I suggest that it - - -
Mr Kaine: He is trying to slip in an untruth and get it into Hansard. I have challenged it. It is not going in Hansard. It is challenged.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Chief Minister!
MR BERRY: The Chief Minister has been guilty, in my view, of either intellectual laziness or intellectual dishonesty in the way - - -
Mr Kaine: You are the one that is intellectually lazy, because you will not even tell the truth.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
Ms Follett: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Mr Kaine interjected that Mr Berry would not even tell the truth. I think he should withdraw that.
MR SPEAKER: Yes. Again, I ask you to withdraw that.
Mr Kaine: Mr Speaker, he was deliberately trying to read into Hansard something that was untrue. That is a fact.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Kaine, again we cannot make challenges about untruths across the floor without substantiating them.
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