Page 5399 - Week 17 - Tuesday, 3 December 1991
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MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (3.33): I think that I must support Mr Humphries in his response to this motion. In fact, I am quite astonished that Mr Berry would seriously put it to the Assembly that he should be let off the hook on this matter. I am quite fascinated that he goes to the board and asks the chairman of the board to give him a letter to back him up in this matter.
Interestingly enough, the chairman of the board, in his letter, makes some points which I, and I am sure Mr Humphries, totally agree with. He notes in the middle of the body of his letter:
The Board well understands the need for accountability to the Assembly, the Government and the citizens. It readily accepts these obligations, all of which are properly provided for by law.
We in the Liberal Opposition totally agree with that. We have no difficulty at all with it. We also agree with the second paragraph, in which the chairman expresses the board's "dismay and astonishment at the debate in the Legislative Assembly, which has led to this direction". So were we dismayed and astonished. If the Minister had complied with the normal accountability under the Westminster system, had provided information properly asked for in question time and in the Estimates Committee, and had properly fronted up to his - - -
Mr Berry: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition imputes that I had not responded in question time in accordance with the standing orders. If he wishes to move a substantive motion in relation to the matter, he can deal with it; but he cannot make those sorts of imputations unless he raises them at the time.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Berry.
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, I would submit that I have been raising these questions substantively ever since Mr Berry has been the Minister.
Mr Berry: It is all a red herring.
MR KAINE: It is not a red herring at all. It was Mr Berry's absolute refusal to answer questions and provide information to this Assembly - - -
Mr Berry: Which question?
MR KAINE: A whole range of questions - bed numbers; staff reductions; expenditure patterns; are you overexpended or underexpended? You would not answer the questions. It was because of that that we had the debate which led to this direction. I agree entirely with the board; I am dismayed and astonished - - -
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