Page 1599 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 April 1991
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The most important and significant factor, following on from Mr Connolly, is that they took Mr Jensen to be the government voice on planning. There was no doubt about that in their minds, and question after question came along in the same sort of way. There were interjections - I am sure Mr Connolly will back me up on this - along the line "But you are the Government" to Mr Jensen when he pointed out that he could not achieve something or he could not do something or he would or he would not. Question after question went along the line, "Mr Jensen, as the government spokesman on planning ...". Often there is confusion - there was on this occasion and there has been on many other occasions - between just who is the Minister for planning and who is not.
There is a clear conflict for Mr Jensen; in the community mind it is absolutely clear. The only people who do not seem to be able to be convinced are those who do not want to be convinced. The reason they do not want to be convinced is that they have been lured by the Chief Minister. As long as he keeps Norm on as Executive Deputy, he can give him little jobs to do and give him little baubles. The bauble is the Executive Deputy position; he has him tied in. He can put him onto the chair of a committee and keep him busy. I am pleased to see that Mr Jensen has come back in, because that is not to reflect on him personally - except that he does have a choice: He can either resign as chair of the committee or resign as Executive Deputy with responsibilities in planning. In the community mind, and that is what is most significant, it is quite clear that Mr Jensen is the Government's voice on planning. He is it. He now has a choice.
I want to draw Mr Jensen back to the very early days of this Assembly - it may even have been before the Assembly actually started; I do not recall - when he wrote several things on committees and the significance of the committee system to this Assembly. Now, Mr Jensen, amongst others, it is fairly and squarely on your shoulders. You have seen how this planning report did not work.
Mr Jensen: It did not work because you did not participate, Michael.
MR MOORE: The responsibility is fairly and squarely on your shoulders to make it work. My Labor colleagues and I have been prepared to compromise. We say: Stick with Executive Deputy and come on to the planning committee; have a voice, but do not chair it, do not be the spokesperson. We have been prepared to compromise. We have come half way. Mr Jensen, come the other half.
Mr Collaery: Mr Speaker, I am closing the debate, and I was on my feet first.
Mrs Grassby: You cannot do that. I am sorry; Mr Speaker, you cannot do that.
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