Page 5846 - Week 18 - Tuesday, 10 December 1991
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The provisions in the Bill are more than reasonable, and members have known about them for quite some time. It is not a huge amount of money for members on the salaries we receive in this Assembly to save up; nor is it a huge amount for members to arrange to borrow from one source or another, if that is their choice. I do not believe that the legislation we are passing tonight ought to reflect those sorts of considerations. The provisions within the Bill at the moment are entirely reasonable. They give members 60 days to arrange their circumstances to make this back payment, if that is what they wish to do, and it will not be what they all wish to do. I think 60 days, for people working at the level that Mr Prowse assures us we all work at, is more than adequate to come up with the sum of between $5,000 and $8,000. The Government opposes the amendments.
MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (9.54): I am afraid I do not agree with the Chief Minister. I do not think there is anybody in this place who is more concerned about the proprieties than I am, and I do not think that it does any harm, given the circumstances of today, to consider what Mr Prowse has put before us. The facts of the matter are that for three years we have had no superannuation scheme, and what we are now saying to members of this Assembly is, "You may buy back that three years' worth of time". That is a not inconsiderable sum; under other circumstances we might have had a superannuation scheme in the first year and it would not have been so significant. Mr Whalan is the only one who is no longer a member of the Assembly to whom this will apply.
The Chief Minister made the point herself when she said that members have 60 days in which to make up their minds whether they are going to be in this or out of it, and they can borrow if they have to. The fact is that 60 days from now takes us to within a few days of election day, and those who, because of their financial circumstances, need to borrow are going to a financial institution a few days before an election day when they do not know whether they are going to be re-elected or not. Let us face it: They stand a good chance, within a matter of days, of being unemployed. What financial institution is going to lend people money when they know that within a week or 10 days that person will be unemployed, for all practical purposes?
Ms Follett: What about after that period, if you are unemployed? Do you think they will look upon you kindly?
MR KAINE: You put an argument that says that it is perfectly reasonable. I am putting an argument in response. Let me put my figures and facts on the table: I have the money. The day I join this scheme, I will put my cheque on the table. But that is not to say that every other member of this Assembly is in that fortunate position. I do not know what the personal circumstances of the people in this Assembly are and I would not deign to
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