Page 4591 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 20 November 1991
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An adequate demonstration of that was provided by the Leader of the Opposition in today's notice paper. I did not count them, but there is a great handful of questions there. They are important questions, and I am sure that he will see some very interesting answers, in due time.
Mr Kaine: In about six months, I would guess.
MR MOORE: By then perhaps you will be able to answer them yourself. Then we have questions without notice. I believe that, on many occasions, questions without notice are used not so much for information as to perhaps embarrass a Minister or catch a Minister out. Certainly, I have used questions in that way. I know that you will find that difficult to believe, Mr Speaker; but it is true that I have used questions in that way. And, of course, sometimes those questions actually do provide a particular insight into how well the Minister has control of his or her particular portfolio.
Then, of course, there is a halfway mark - and it is a system that I employ quite often - and that is providing 24 hours' notice to a Minister. I have done this with the first Follett Government, the Alliance Government and the current Follett Government. I give some 24 hours' notice when I have a question that I want to know the answer to and I do not want to wait for months. I feel that that tactic works particularly well. I must say that, on the occasions when I provide information as to the question that I am likely to ask, I normally receive a very positive and very adequate reply.
This was clearly demonstrated yesterday with a question asked of you, Mr Speaker. I got a comprehensive reply in a relatively short time. And, indeed, Mr Connolly today answered a question under similar circumstances. It still leaves me the room to ask a supplementary question if an issue is raised in the answer that I believe requires some follow-up.
However, today, there was a question of Mr Berry, asked by Mr Humphries, about the budget, as far as the Board of Health goes. In fact, this question follows a series of issues that I originally raised in the Estimates Committee. They were followed up by other members, and we pursued this very same question about how Mr Berry is monitoring what is happening in the health portfolio as far as the budget goes - and we have very good reasons for doing that. They have been carefully explained by Mr Humphries. Over just about the last decade, there have been blow-outs in the health budget.
Therefore, as members of the community and as members of this Assembly, it is important for us to be open about what is going on in that health budget. We want to know and the community wants to know - and it does not have to reflect badly on Mr Berry at all. If it does appear that there is
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