Page 1089 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 1991
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If any of the members opposite can explain to me how this is other than a curtailment of the freedom of speech and a curtailment of the right - - -
Mr Berry: It is a gross infringement of the standing orders of this place.
MR KAINE: It is a gross infringement, all right - a gross infringement of civil rights and the right of the electorate to hear what political parties have to say leading up to an election.
I think that Mr Stevenson's question is a good one. This party over here constantly talks about public consultation. What do we have? We have the Federal Labor Government saying, "This is how it is going to be. Do not talk to us about it; we do not want to hear your opinion. This is what we are going to do" - and they have the effrontery to talk about the great public consultation program of the Labor Party. Well, let us hear from you: Where is your public consultation program now? I see that you are sitting there quietly now. There is not a peep out of any one of you because you have not a single defence.
Mr Connolly: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: He is exhorting us to answer questions. Since you have allowed him to answer a question that is not in order, can he at least be directed to get on with answering it rather than rhetorically asking us to respond? We would love to respond, but you tend to rule us out of order if we do.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Connolly. Chief Minister, I would ask you to draw your answer to a conclusion.
MR KAINE: I will try to make it brief, but it is a question of grave importance and I do not think that it should be lightly cast off by the squirming Labor members who do not want to hear the answer to the question. It should be dealt with fully. There should be open discussion about it.
Mrs Grassby: We have had seven minutes on this, Mr Speaker.
MR KAINE: It might go to 17 yet - and I have not got to Mr Connolly's question yet either.
Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: That is just treating this place as a joke; it is treating the standing orders as a joke; it is treating your rulings as a joke, Mr Speaker. If you allow this to go on, Mr Speaker, the contention out in the community will be that your rulings are a joke as well.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you for that warning, Mr Berry.
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