Page 4693 - Week 15 - Thursday, 21 November 1991
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MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Has the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Berry, finished speaking?
Mr Berry: No, I have not.
Mr Moore: He does not have to.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Could I have a little order, please? Can I have a little order in the house. Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Berry, please?
Mr Berry: I think Mr Moore is probably right.
Mr Moore: Point of order - - -
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am sorry, Mr Moore; I do not have to accept it, if you read standing order 70.
MR BERRY: It appears that he is probably wrong. In that case, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I will not take any more than a couple of minutes. The issue that is before the place is a silly motion - - -
Mr Moore: On a point of order: Are you telling me that moving the gag now is an abuse of the standing orders?
MR BERRY: While I was speaking.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Would you like to read standing order 70 on closure.
Mr Moore: The only way the Speaker has power to override that is "that such motion is an abuse of the rules of the Assembly, or an infringement of Members' rights". There is no infringement of rights or abuse of the rules. Could you clarify them for me, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker?
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: He has not finished speaking to his amendment.
Mr Kaine: He does not have to. A gag can be put at any time.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am proposing to let him finish speaking to his amendment. Can I have a bit of order in the house, please, so that Mr Berry can finish speaking to his amendment.
MR BERRY: It will take only a minute. This is a silly motion. It has no effect. The Labor Party has moved to amend this motion to give it some sense, so that it will reflect a position and ensure that the record shows that the Labor Party is in support of single-member electorates - nothing more than that. I do not expect that it will survive a vote in this house. That is to be expected; but the survival rate, I think, is about the same as that of many of the members of this Assembly at the next election.
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