Page 3465 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 18 September 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR HUMPHRIES: I suspect, Mr Speaker, that in fact he had no intention of doing so. In fact, as Mrs Nolan points out, the consultant itself has consulted very extensively on that question already, so there is no prima facie argument for more consultation.
Mr Speaker, the point of my raising the matter with you was not to debate the matter of trading hours; it was to ask that the matter of privilege be considered by you and perhaps by the Administration and Procedures Committee, based on Mr Berry's choice of words. I would not have thought it was possible for Mr Berry, by mistake, to dictate to his secretary, or whatever he might have done to have drafted that letter, "It is required that you withdraw the Bill". Clearly, Mr Berry intended to use those words. Mr Berry intended to come close to breaching privilege in this Assembly. Mr Berry had no intention of using the forms of etiquette or politeness that most other members of this Assembly adhere to. Mr Berry intended to sail close to the wind, as he usually does.
Mr Berry, I think, ought to have been in a position to apologise today. He did not have the good grace to apologise to me, but I think we will have to accept the apology he made to you instead. I might say, though, Mr Speaker, that Mr Berry's contemptuous attitude towards this Assembly and towards the institution which is this Assembly is disgraceful. His approach to question time is to use up every possible moment to minimise the chances other members have to ask questions. His approach is to be denigrating and dismissive of others in the Assembly, and I think he ought to take his medicine.
Mr Berry: I take a point of order. I do not mind Mr Humphries having a shot on the substantive matter that is before the Assembly, but to go into the issue of question time is quite another matter. The answers in question time are entirely another issue.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Berry. I would ask you, Mr Humphries, to draw to a conclusion.
MR HUMPHRIES: I will, Mr Speaker. I would ask Mr Berry to take a little bit more consideration of the other members of this Assembly, based not on any regard he might have for us as people but on the fact that his leader, Ms Follett, in establishing her Government, said, "This will be an open and consultative government. We will talk to others in the Assembly about what is going on". We have not seen that so far. We have not seen it particularly from Mr Berry. I would ask that that so-called principle of this Government be adhered to for a change. Mr Berry does not like it. He squirms and he does not like it. The fact of the matter is that two can play that game. The boot will be on the other foot one day and Mr Berry will complain very loudly if the same treatment is given to him as has been given to those on this side of the chamber.
MR SPEAKER: I consider this issue to be resolved.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .