Page 4596 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 20 November 1991
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MR BERRY (Minister for Health and Minister for Sport) (5.09): It seems, Mr Speaker, that two issues have been intermingled in the debate. The first thing we have to say is that once again members of the former Government, bitter in defeat, are raising issues which are merely time-wasting exercises which prevent the Government from getting on with very important legislation, like the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Bill - or the no-name Bill, which it now is, as a result of the actions of members opposite - and, of course, the planning legislation.
This matter of public importance is a general attack on Ministers, Mr Speaker, and it is an unwarranted attack. It is a bit like the firebug screaming about the smoke when they talk about the sorts of misjudgments that Mr Stevenson, of all people, has referred to in his matter of public importance. Mr Stevenson obviously does not look at what goes on in other parliaments. If he did, he would see that the behaviour here is not that much different from what occurs elsewhere. In fact, it is not very remarkable.
Question time, in all the places where I have seen it occur, is a time when party-political statements are made. That is the Westminster system. I am not ashamed of that. I am not ashamed of that at all. When questions enable me, in response, to make party-political statements, or other Ministers to make party-political statements, that is to be expected. That was the performance of the former Government, and nothing has changed in that respect.
The MPI also talks about derogatory remarks and the misuse of question time. I will give you a quick example of a misuse of question time or an incomplete answer or a non-answer. I asked a question of Mr Humphries in August 1990. It was a genuine inquiry. I said:
Will you give a guarantee or a promise that you will not close or sell off either the Kippax Health Centre or the Weston Creek Health Centre?
Listen to the answer:
I am not in a position to give any guarantees about anything at this stage, Mr Acting Speaker. If I am asked to make decisions on the floor of this chamber by myself, I think we will all be in a very sad state of affairs. I will make decisions in collaboration with my colleagues, in consultation with the rest of the Government, and then I will give appropriate responses to the Assembly.
Mr Humphries: I provided an answer. I could not give a guarantee.
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