Page 5064 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 27 November 1991
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MR COLLAERY: I am speaking to clause 3 and I am saying why clause 3 should not be discussed yet.
MR SPEAKER: Okay. Please proceed in that case.
MR COLLAERY: The fact is that this is a very large, compendious piece of legislation. Some whipping or caucusing was done on the floor whilst I was on my feet. In good faith, my colleague Mr Jensen agrees. I have not time, from the time Mr Berry puts the proposition on the floor, to effectively consider the implications of it. Here we have clause 3 being considered when I have not received my papers, organised to be prepared for the debate. I just heard criticisms of the fact that I have been doing the same thing on the floor with amendments which were circulated at least a half an hour or an hour in advance of when they were due to come on.
Mr Speaker, Mr Berry did speak to me about whether we would have what Mr Stevenson wanted or whether we would have the human rights Bill. I thought we were still pursuing the in-principle stage of that Bill. I believe that Mr Berry should do the right thing and let this matter go. You cannot ramrod this type of legislation through in this fashion.
MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (12.38): Mr Speaker, in connection with the debate on clause 3, I am afraid that I have to agree with Mr Collaery. I was unaware that the Government intended at this time to continue with the debate on this Bill. The daily business paper is quite clear; it has a time on it. After 2.30 pm there will be questions; then we will do other business and then we will get onto this Bill.
It is unreasonable to expect people to come here and debate a Bill when they are not prepared for it, particularly a Bill which the Government has entitled the "Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Bill". If the Government intended to do this, then they should have made it quite clear to all members of the Assembly that that was their intention. I, for one, knew nothing of it. I believe that to proceed to debate this when members are not prepared to do so is unreasonable. It will do this Assembly and the community no service whatsoever. I suggest that if Mr Berry is serious about this he should move that the house adjourn until this afternoon's session.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Grassby) adjourned.
Sitting suspended from 12.39 to 2.30 pm
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