Page 5309 - Week 16 - Thursday, 28 November 1991
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Ms Follett: I said that twice.
MR JENSEN: I never heard any suggestion of consultation. I heard Ms Follett say that she would think about it, but I never heard her say that she would consult with the leaders of the groups within this parliament. I never heard her say that once. That is why I request that Ms Follett provide an undertaking from the floor of this Assembly that, before the appointment of any commissioner - be they acting or full-time - between now and the time that the next government is formed, she will consult with the leaders of all the parliamentary groupings within this Assembly.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (6.40): I do not know what is the matter with people opposite. I genuinely, honestly and absolutely have said twice that I will consult. But I will say it again: I will consult.
MR HUMPHRIES (6.40): The Chief Minister is full of sincerity and so on today; but I am afraid I must say that we in the Opposition have serious concerns, serious reservations, about what has been said here today by her and by her Government. On the point of consultation, let me remind the Chief Minister that she and her Government agreed in May of 1989 to consult with members of at least the Liberal Party about appointments to bodies that her Government was going to make. There was never any consultation - I correct that. There was one instance I can recall of consultation between the Opposition and her Government at that time, her minority Government as it was. So, you will have to forgive me, Mr Speaker, for saying that I do not necessarily believe the Chief Minister when she says to me that she is going to consult about this matter.
Ms Follett: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. A clear imputation is expressed there. It must be withdrawn.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, it is a fact. I am sorry; I do not believe - - -
MR SPEAKER: He did not say that you had done anything wrong, Chief Minister. He said that he has a problem in accepting certain points of view, and I do not believe that that is out of order.
MR HUMPHRIES: I will rephrase it slightly, Mr Speaker. I have grave reservations about the Chief Minister's ability to do this time what she did not do on the previous occasion. Let me put it that way. I am also extremely concerned about the Chief Minister's interpretation of conventions on the matter of appointments to any body or position that she has power to appoint to, or she or her Ministers have power to appoint to, at any particular time. Certainly, I could accept that there must be some argument about whether or not appointments can be made after what would normally be the issuing of writs in another circumstance.
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