Page 3830 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 16 October 1991
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Mrs Nolan: He did - half an hour ago.
MR KAINE: Who did he speak to?
Mrs Nolan: Gary.
MR KAINE: He did not. I beg your pardon.
Members interjected.
MR KAINE: Everybody is speaking from a position of absolutely no knowledge.
Mr Berry: I think you are the only one.
MR KAINE: I am not the only one; I beg to differ.
Dr Kinloch: I did not know about it.
MR KAINE: Neither, I submit, did most of the members of the Opposition. It was obvious that Mr Moore did not know, and it is his motion that is on the notice paper. So, Mr Berry is trying to be cute. He may have withdrawn it when he felt the heat on the back of his neck, but that does not excuse his trying to bring the thing up in the first place. The Assembly does have some operating procedures, and they should be followed. It is not for the Government to decide arbitrarily when it will or will not bring on private members' business.
MR BERRY (Deputy Chief Minister), by leave: The matter is important to government and, as has rightly been said, it is an issue for government to decide upon in terms of the timing of the debate on the issue. There was some discussion with a range of members around the Assembly. They included somebody from the Liberal Party, and all of the other groups. It was at short notice, and there was no general concern about the matter coming on quickly. It was understood why the Government wanted to bring it on. It is listed in private members' business. But it is a matter of government imperative; it is something that the Government has to deal with.
I am sorry that Mr Kaine misunderstands the situation. At the first sign of dissent from the matter being dealt with, Mr Speaker, the Government indicated clearly that it would not proceed with it until members were happy to deal with the issue. It is not a big deal, and I do not know why Mr Kaine is huffing and puffing about it.
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