Page 5942 - Week 18 - Wednesday, 11 December 1991
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fair crack of the whip from us because we are going along with it. We are allowing this to happen, and we will be here until late tonight as well. I think you can wait just a couple of minutes, and give us leave.
It will not derogate from the intentions that the Minister sought. The Minister sought to ensure that there was no cheating going on. He wanted to make sure that there were no cash in hand arrangements. I do not think that registered accountants are any less reputable than registered auditors. Many accountants are, I think, as Mr Kaine knows, auditors, but not all are, and small business does not always employ a company auditor.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Collaery, are you seeking leave to move this amendment?
MR COLLAERY: Yes, Mr Speaker.
Leave granted.
MR COLLAERY: I move:
Page 10, line 26, proposed paragraph 18(1)(a), omit "auditor", substitute "accountant".
MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (5.05): I am not sure why we did give leave, because I do not know the effect of Mr Collaery's amendment. As far as I am aware, there is no such thing as a registered accountant. Registered with whom, and for what purpose? If he wants to talk about a certified public accountant, or a registered public accountant, or words of that kind, that is a different thing. But, if he just uses the words "registered accountant", I do not think accountants will know whether they are registered or not, or whether they qualify.
So, this does not achieve the purpose that Mr Collaery is aiming to achieve, I believe. It will merely raise more questions in connection with this section of the Act than it answers. I will not support that amendment, because I believe that it is a meaningless one.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health and Minister for Sport) (5.06): Mr Speaker, the Government will not be supporting this amendment. Again it is this issue of making decisions on the run. You just cannot - - -
Mr Collaery: It is called making laws, Mr Berry; good laws.
MR BERRY: That is right, and one should adopt a considered approach to making laws because laws are very important to the community.
Mr Jensen: Yes, that is right. Do not try to ram them through.
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