Page 5655 - Week 17 - Thursday, 5 December 1991
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to meet those commitments, but he was well aware of the position of the Assembly - that we had a lot of legislation to get through; that the Government had just changed; that we were in a minority situation.
Given the sparkling progress that we are making so far this week on the planning legislation and the enormous backlog of legislation that we now have, I do not expect that safety helmet legislation will be in place for a 1 January commencement, and I have advised the community accordingly. It is still our intention that bike helmets be made compulsory here, as they are in the States; but I do not think we are going to meet the 1 January deadline.
MRS NOLAN: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. When is it likely that helmets will be made compulsory?
MR CONNOLLY: I expect that it will be shortly after the next Assembly meets, given the current state of this Assembly and the legislation now in place.
Government Service - Staff Numbers
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Chief Minister in her capacity as Minister in charge of the public service. On 6 August, Chief Minister, I placed on notice questions relating to the number of employees in each division and branch of each department and agency, and the breakdown by classification level, permanent or casual, full- or part-time. I have asked you since, on notice, when you are going to answer those questions. With the exception of the Health Department, which did provide a response, why have these important questions not been responded to as of today?
MS FOLLETT: I apologise to Mr Collaery for taking a while to answer those questions on notice. Mr Speaker, it is certainly my intention and the intention of all of the Ministers that all questions on notice be answered before the last sitting day of this Assembly. I will certainly ensure that that is the case for all members' questions, not just Mr Collaery's.
MR COLLAERY: I ask a supplementary question of the Chief Minister. I point out to her that, given the long parliamentary recess, if we can call it that, before the election, the provision of responses on the last sitting day will not open those responses up to parliamentary scrutiny by way of any further legitimate questions on them. So, by way of supplementary request, I ask the Chief Minister whether answers that will be provided can be provided in time for members to raise questions about them in the public interest?
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