Page 679 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 1991
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Dr Kinloch: Mr Speaker, I have a very, very clear perception of this matter. I am only interested in commonsense. Commonsense is that the two committees should amalgamate and get on with the work. The only reason why we cannot do that is that one member of the Opposition and Mr Moore voted against a motion.
MR SPEAKER: Are you taking a point of order, Mr Berry? Please say so. I am not a mind-reader.
Mr Berry: First of all, who gets the call? I prefer to speak on the amendment that has been circulated if I have the call. Dr Kinloch has just spoken and I deferred to him.
MR SPEAKER: Order! The situation in this house has been that if the Minister is about to close debate and somebody else gets to his feet we have always sought deferment from the Minister. If this is the circumstance today, I ask Mr Collaery whether he is prepared to defer.
MR COLLAERY: I am not prepared to defer to Mr Berry. There has been more than enough comment on this issue, Mr Speaker.
Mr Berry: I have not spoken to the amendment. I think it is an outrageous abuse of my rights in this place.
MR SPEAKER: Order! The Minister was on his feet first, Mr Berry. You have missed the call.
MR COLLAERY: Mr Speaker, there is no important precedent about this. This debate has gone on for far too long. It is clearly an intractable problem that manifests itself in question time. There is a very mean and low approach to questioning. They target, like jackals, someone or other and that is the spirit that permeates - - -
Ms Follett: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. I will not have any members on this side of the house referred to as jackals.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, I would ask you to withdraw that, Mr Collaery.
MR COLLAERY: Mr Speaker, I withdraw that imputation. Mr Speaker, a mean spirit pervades the chamber from across the way. I do not include everyone across there; but let the appellation fit where it belongs and I think they know who they are. Mr Speaker, the mean spirit has manifested itself again in this debate - - -
Mr Connolly: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. Relevance. We are talking about question time and meanness here.
MR SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order, Mr Connolly.
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