Page 4134 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 23 October 1991
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I cannot support the legislation. I am quite happy to support giving better resources to the Opposition and to the other parties not in government. That is a matter I think we could debate at any stage and at any time, but it is not the matter that is being debated today. Clearly, we are debating the concept of doing away with, or negativing, the role of the Leader of the Opposition, and that is something I could not support.
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (11.33): The Government considers Mr Collaery's amendment to the Legislative Assembly (Members' Staff) Act to be fundamentally flawed. Firstly, the amendment, by purportedly flattening the playing field, or providing what Mr Jensen says is equality, fails to recognise that there is a sound basis for preserving the capacity to treat members differently. The Leader of the Opposition does occupy a particular, special role in the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy as the leader of the alternative government, and that does impose additional responsibility requiring additional research and staff. As I gaze across the chamber at a solid phalanx of leaders of the opposition, I note that it is unusual in any chamber to see three one-time leaders of the opposition lined up in a row like this. That is one of the other peculiarities of this Assembly.
Mr Kaine: Not the longest serving one, Mr Connolly.
MR CONNOLLY: Mr Kaine says that the one that is important is the serving one, and that may well be the case. It is appropriate for this Assembly to recognise that the role of Leader of the Opposition, as Mr Humphries said, is a recognised and appropriate role in the Assembly. It is not simply the leader of all those members who are not members of the government. It is the leader of the party or group of parties that purport to form the alternative government.
There are some members in this chamber who have been members or supporters of no government. Mr Moore and Mr Stevenson throughout have stood apart from being lined-up supporters of any government. That is to say, they have acted as Independents throughout. On the other hand, we have members of other parties. As Mr Berry said, it is hard to keep track of the number of parties in the Assembly on any given day. I think we are agreed that it is currently eight, but we are always awaiting new developments as we open the newspaper and listen to the morning radio.
The Leader of the Opposition, the leader of the largest party, does have a special responsibility, and it is appropriate that that be reflected in additional staff support. The Chief Minister and Treasurer, in her letter to the Speaker on 13 June outlining members' interim staffing arrangements, acknowledged those differing roles between the Leader of the Opposition and Independent members or leaders of minor parties.
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