Page 4430 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 19 November 1991
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Berry and the Labor Party want to change the day because the Chief Minister now has to go to a special meeting of Premiers. Good luck with that one, Rosemary. We were being quite reasonable.
Ms Follett: I raise a point of order. Mr Speaker, you have ruled many times that members are not to be referred to by their first names.
MR STEFANIAK: I withdraw that if you want me to. Good luck, Chief Minister. At a meeting with Mr Berry, we indicated that we would be quite happy to sit on Monday, the 25th, or indeed any other day that members found suitable. Mr Stevenson also has a problem with the 29th. People have made arrangements on the basis that, initially, this special sitting day was to be the 22nd. However, Mr Berry now wants to change the day.
I understand that there is circulating in Mr Collaery's name an amendment proposing that the private members' day be 25 November, when all members can be present. That might have some ramifications for the Cabinet; but, as other members have indicated, quite clearly, Cabinet can sit on some other day. You can sit on Sunday. I am sure you will find that the Alliance Cabinet did that on a couple of occasions. The Alliance joint party meetings were also held on Sundays on a number of occasions. I think Mr Berry is being quite churlish in suggesting that the Cabinet meeting has to be on Monday, the 25th.
Obviously, everyone can be here on Monday, the 25th. For that reason, I think Mr Collaery's circulated amendment should be supported. We will certainly support it. If it does not get up, we will certainly be voting against Mr Berry's motion to change the 22nd to the 29th.
MR COLLAERY (8.12): I move the following amendment:
That "29" be omitted and "25" be substituted.
I believe that this might resolve the issue so that we can get on with business.
MR DUBY (8.13): I heard the cry of exasperation from the government benches, "Who cares? Let them do what they like". Frankly, I think this is a very childish debate. The simple fact is, and let me say it from the outset, that I support the concept that the house should not meet when the Chief Minister is not available to be here. The Chief Minister is representing all of us at the Premiers meeting - - -
Mr Kaine: We are happy to meet when she is here.
MR DUBY: Just let me finish, Mr Kaine. I think that, if anything, we should be moving as an amendment that we simply do not sit this Friday; and surely, like grown-up people, we can go to a room and come up with a convenient
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