Page 4427 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 19 November 1991
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This motion is, of course, to provide for the attendance of the Chief Minister at the proposed extra private members' sitting day. It was proposed earlier that that extra day should be 22 November. At that time it was assumed that the Special Premiers Conference would be held on that date. It has subsequently been shown that there has been a different outcome. Instead of there being a Special Premiers Conference, the Premiers and Chief Ministers will meet by themselves to discuss issues which would have been the subject of debate at the Special Premiers Conference.
Mr Speaker, this matter was discussed by me with members at last Friday's meeting on government business, and it was thought at that point that the numbers might be sufficient for the passage of this amendment. I understand that there has been some fluidity in the minds of some members about this issue in the meantime, and the outcome might be quite different. I was unable to get a firm fix on an outcome, but what I seek to do is to secure the Assembly's commitment to ensuring that the Chief Minister will be available to participate in debate on those private members' matters which members consider sufficiently important to warrant an extra day of sitting before the Assembly finally breaks.
I am advised that there may be a move for Monday, the 25th. I consider that sort of a proposal a mischievous one designed to interfere with the business of government. It is well known that Monday is the traditional day for meetings of Cabinet. Of course, in the lead-up to the final sitting days of this Assembly, Cabinet will be meeting for some hours.
Mr Jensen: So, we have to work on Sunday.
MR BERRY: Mr Jensen cries out, as he is wont to do, from the back benches, "Why don't we work on Sunday?". If Mr Jensen is so keen to work on Sundays, why does he not have the private members' business day on Sunday?
Mr Stefaniak: Think of the staff.
MR BERRY: Mr Stefaniak cries out from the wilderness, "Think of the staff". I would be thinking of the staff. Any staff required to work as a result of this motion would be dealt with in an appropriate way under awards of the Commonwealth.
Mr Humphries: It costs the Territory money.
MR BERRY: Mr Humphries cries out, "And it would cost the Territory money". Mr Humphries has never in the past been concerned about the cost to the Territory in anything that he has managed.
Ms Follett: It cost $17m.
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