Page 3693 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 15 October 1991
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MR MOORE: I take Mr Duby's interjection. It is nine, because I am actually two. As I register more and more parties, I might get four or five seats on it. I think it is appropriate, therefore, that these amendments be withdrawn, and I am sure Mr Stevenson will do that when he sees the sense of the amendment I wish to move. I propose that the words after "amended by omitting" be deleted and replaced by "a committee representing each party, group or independent and having a quorum of five". That is an arrangement that I believe would be most appropriate and would resolve the problem.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Moore, are you seeking leave to move that amendment?
MR MOORE: I seek leave to move that amendment.
Leave granted.
MR MOORE: I move:
That the words after "amended by omitting" be omitted and replaced by "a committee representing each party, group or independent and having a quorum of five".
As Mr Humphries and Mr Stevenson see the sense of the amendment I have presented, no doubt they will see that it is really a development on their ideas and that we would have a far fairer system. What we are really trying to achieve with the Administration and Procedures Committee is the arrangement of private members' business and the way we expect private members to behave. I believe that it is appropriate that the Administration and Procedures Committee, in all its roles, should be accessible to each member as a representative of his or her party group.
There was some suggestion that, under Mr Stevenson's amendment, the whole would include Ministers and that therefore it was inappropriate. I believe that his intention was that it should be a committee of the whole, excluding Ministers. Either way, I would be perfectly happy if the Administration and Procedures Committee worked that way.
It is important for us to realise that we have already an informal process such as this operating with regard to arranging government business. The Government suggests the order of business and we have an informal meeting, usually at 3 o'clock on a Friday afternoon prior to a week's sitting. On one occasion, we made it clear to Mr Berry, for example, that certain proposals he made would not be agreed to. That is a function, if you like, of a minority government; but it is also a very important factor as far as the Administration and Procedures Committee goes.
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