Page 1936 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 May 1991
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It seems to me that the time has come for us to resolve this problem with the planning committee. This Assembly is being dragged further and further into disrepute by the lack of effort of the planning committee. It is because of not the particular people on it but the constraints under which they work. The simple way to resolve this problem is to look for a compromise, and that has been offered. It is quite clear to me that the Executive Deputy in charge of planning should not also chair that committee and should not also be on it. Mr Berry has offered the compromise which was the one in which I was interested in relation to the combined Planning, Development and Infrastructure and Conservation, Heritage and Environment committees. That was to allow Mr Jensen, if he wants to remain Executive Deputy, to sit on the committee but not to chair it. A logical way to look at it would be that he ought not even sit on it. The community sees it that way.
Mr Kaine: The community does not see it that way.
MR MOORE: It certainly does. We have also seen that written a number of times in articles in the Canberra Times, for example. It seems to me, Mr Speaker, that this deadlock that has gone on now for over six months is absolutely pathetic. The term that I hear with reference to this Assembly over this issue is that it is like little boys in the sandpit. That is one of the things that are bringing this Assembly further and further into disrepute.
It is time that this matter was resolved. If we need an independent arbitrator to help resolve this conflict, maybe we should look to the Conflict Resolution Service or attempt to do something about it. But at this stage we are getting nowhere. This very important matter that Mr Duby has moved for referral to the planning committee will go from the Government to the Government as things currently stand. It will be seen to be entirely inadequate in the same way as people who are concerned with the planning legislation feel that the combined Planning, Development and Infrastructure and Conservation, Heritage and Environment standing committees' report was entirely inadequate. That was best illustrated by the fact that every member wrote either an additional comment or a dissenting report.
Let us resolve the issue now. The simplest way is for Mr Jensen to have some guts and do one of two things: Stand down as Executive Deputy or stand down as chair of this committee. Personally, I do not mind which way he goes.
MR KAINE (Chief Minister) (3.26): Mr Deputy Speaker, Mr Moore is quite right: The matter should be resolved. He referred to children in sandpits and the like. The people in the sandpits are those on that side of the house. This Assembly elected members of the committee and that committee, in due process, elected its chairman. What happened? The people in the Opposition took their bats and balls and went home. Yet they have the effrontery to talk about a compromise.
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