Page 2300 - Week 08 - Friday, 21 June 1991
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Assembly believed was going to be the situation was: Hector Kinloch as Speaker, Ellnor Grassby as Deputy Speaker, Gary Humphries as Leader of the Opposition, et cetera.
Mr Kaine: I did not know about that. Where did you get that bit of paper from?
MR STEVENSON: I will be happy to let you have a look at it, Trevor. You are on there. I suppose I should tell you, if you do not know: You will be the leader of the Public Accounts Committee. I think that is the only committee you are on.
Mr Moore: No; he is on planning, too, I think.
MR STEVENSON: Let me have a look. I am sorry, Trevor; yes, you are on planning as well.
Mr Kaine: Can I have a copy of that bit of paper?
MR STEVENSON: Yes. I thought you made a point, and made it well, when you spoke about what Rosemary had said in talking about open government. Indeed, she did leave something out of her speech when she said, "We will listen to the people and we will understand". You made the very point that there was nothing there that said that they would take the slightest notice.
People are paid to write these speeches - to say the right words again and again. And it will go on in history that we will hear the right words. But where do we see the actions that would differentiate the politicians in this Assembly from politicians in any other grouping in Australia? I made the point that we should have a voters' veto. We should have a situation where the people have a say, and I have been doing it for two years. It is a wonderful idea and I intend to introduce the Bill soon, as I have said.
But where was the situation where other people in this Assembly jumped to their feet and said, "Hey, what a great idea that is, Dennis. Why don't you introduce this"? It takes a lot of time to work these things out, so it cannot be changed once it is in there. Why do we not get this and, at this unique point in time, be the first parliament in Australia to give the people a say? It was unfortunate indeed that the ALP, in its attempt to introduce citizens initiated referenda in Queensland in 1921, was knocked back by the Opposition - if I can use the term - because it included the recall. That is the bit where politicians can be recalled or sacked before the next election - something that the people think is a great idea. Many politicians think it is rather abhorrent, understandably.
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