Page 3692 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 15 October 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR BERRY: Mr Kaine argues that this could be worse than the Alliance joint party room. It seems to me that there is some attraction for the Government in developing a similar process in the Administration and Procedures Committee, if for no other reason than to get Mrs Grassby to report to us on matters of amusement.
Labor's inclination is that we ought to be looking for a solution. I think a committee of all non-government members is an appropriate course in the circumstances. It just makes good sense. It may be difficult to manage, and I expect that Mr Moore will have something to say on the matter; but we need to find a sensible solution. The only one that strikes me as sensible at the moment is a committee of all non-executive members. I think that in these circumstances it would be wrong to exclude members, even though their politics might be - - -
Mr Duby: Does this apply to all committees?
MR BERRY: No. From my point of view, and from the Labor Party's point of view, it would not. Those sorts of things are inevitably in your hands, Mr Duby. That is a matter for the parties in the Assembly to determine as the need arises. This is a matter of particular interest to members because it determines the order and placement of private members' business before this Assembly, which will be of concern to a number of members in the next few months.
I think it would be unfair, on the face of it, for members to be excluded at this time. We are in a state of change where some involvement is required for all of these members. I know that there is an element of concern about. It is not as much a matter of concern for Labor in government as it would be to members opposite; nevertheless, it is a matter of concern purely on the grounds of fair play.
MR MOORE (4.42): This is a very interesting debate. It is a matter Mr Berry raised some time ago when, in response to an interjection from the now Leader of the Opposition, he asked, "How did you manage over the last few years?". Mr Stevenson would probably agree with me that previously, when there was just Mr Stevenson, me and the Labor Party, there was in effect an informal arrangement, which we are now in the process of trying to formalise, to decide, through discussion, what would be raised as private members' business. It was somewhat easier, of course, because only three groups were represented, whereas now we have eight. Who knows how many groups we will have tomorrow - or this afternoon?
Mr Duby: It is nine, because you are two.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .