Page 4593 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 20 November 1991
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"Yes, I will provide the information, given a motion. Will you be prepared to withdraw the censure motion?". I think that would be a sensible way to carry out this debate without antagonism. I have not discussed it with Mr Humphries. I leave it to Mr Berry to take the next step and to provide that commitment.
MR COLLAERY (5.00): Mr Speaker, the Rally supports the sentiments expressed today by numerous speakers on this side of the house; namely, that this debate is about whether Mr Berry is going to accept that question time is, as House of Representatives Practice acknowledges, one of the more important functions of the parliament. In fact, it says, at page 507 of the current edition, that it is a critical function. I quote from that edition:
This includes criticism of the Executive Government, bringing to light perceived abuses, ventilating grievances, exposing, and thereby preventing the Government from exercising, arbitrary power, and pressing the Government to take remedial or other action. Questions are a vital element in this critical function.
The text goes on to state that it is fundamental to the concept of responsible government that the executive government be accountable to the parliament. I share some of the feelings expressed about someone dedicated to abolishing this parliament putting forward an MPI that calls for the proper procedure in respect of an institution of the parliament.
Putting that aside, I want to express the Rally's deep frustration with Mr Berry in this house, and outside the house, in relation to the manner in which he approaches his duties. A substantive motion has been foreshadowed, and we will be speaking to that at length. Time is limited, but I want to support the view that we are entitled to have information.
The questions in question time today illustrated quite conclusively, in my opinion - I do not wish to be too legal - that Mr Berry was not prepared to treat question time in accordance with the parliamentary practice that I just alluded to. I think the evidence is clear; there cannot be any quibbling or getting out of it. One way in which Mr Berry, by interjection, appears to be trying to get out of it is by suggesting that he needs a resolution of this Assembly to be able to interfere with the board; or that he wants further support to be able to interfere with the board; or, most worryingly, that he does not want to interfere with the board himself.
But, if you look at the establishing legislation, the Health Services Act 1990, you will see, in Part VII, how the finances of the board are to be dealt with. In fact, the board is not allowed to enter into a contract for the acquisition of assets or the sale of assets where the
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