Page 3689 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 15 October 1991
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I ask members to look at what will happen if we allow it to be a committee of the whole. Obviously, it would be a rare situation when everyone went along, but we would have that right. Should not people in Canberra have the opportunity for their elected representative to have an input into what matters will be considered in the Assembly?
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Stevenson, your amendment is out of order under standing order 142. Mr Humphries' amendment blocks yours. You would have to seek leave to move your amendment.
MR STEVENSON: I seek leave to move my amendment.
Leave granted.
MR STEVENSON: I move:
That the words after "amended by omitting" be omitted and replaced by "a committee of the whole".
MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (4.31): Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I would like to speak to Mr Stevenson's amendment. We are reaching the heights of absurdity. Mr Stevenson puts forward the notion that this ought to be a committee of the whole because it is an important committee. I ask members to think carefully about that proposition. All of the committees of this Assembly are important committees. If his argument holds good for the Administration and Procedures Committee, it also holds good for all of the other standing committees. If you take that to the next stage and they all become committees of the whole, we can do away with the committee structure and debate everything in detail on the floor of this house. That is rubbish.
Certain reasonable and rational members of this Assembly - Dr Kinloch amongst them - have often noted how important the committee work of this Assembly is. Mr Stevenson is suggesting that we throw all that out the window, that we no longer have committees, that everything be done in the committee of the whole.
Mr Stevenson: I did not say that.
MR KAINE: That is what you are suggesting. It is only one step from where you are to the next step that all committees should follow this pattern. I have made the point that I do not believe that your statement is any more relevant to the Administration and Procedures Committee than it is to any of the other committees, standing or select. I know that we are getting into the silly season, with the life of this Assembly now quite short - in fact, we have only about 13 or 14 sitting days remaining, if my recollection is correct - but that does not mean that we have to get right off the planet.
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