Page 2129 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 9 September 1992
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the electorate said they wanted". I know, and clearly Mr Cornwell knows - he obviously has heard the same things that I have heard - that the Labor Party caucus is twisting and turning to find a way of getting around the Robson rotation system.
Mr Lamont: Why?
MR KAINE: You might answer the question. Why are you? The Labor Party is twisting and turning, and turning the problem over, to figure out how they can get around this Robson rotation thing. I am getting the feedback that they are doing that. Mr Cornwell obviously is and I am sure Ms Szuty is. So do not tell me that there is no fire where there is smoke. Of course the Labor Party has a problem. That is one of the reasons why - I think it was Mr Cornwell or Mr Humphries who said this - we are getting no progress. The Labor Party cannot get itself off the hook that it is on. It has said that it will adopt the system selected by the electorate and it cannot get off that hook.
The Chief Minister said, "We want to get the legislation right". They have not done that with much other legislation. Look at the land tax. They did not get it right the first time. They are coming back with it and they have not got it right the second time, either. I spent a lot of time last night going through that, and all it does is tighten it up and make it more draconian. They talk about social justice. More people are going to be socially deprived under this revision of their Act than there were under the original Act.
It is all right talking about getting the legislation right; but there comes a time, Madam Speaker, when you have to get the legislation, and that is what people are looking for. Mr Connolly said, "The Assembly is going to decide". Well, the Assembly is not going to decide until Mr Connolly and his government mates put something on the table for us to look at. How can we decide until we have a proposal? You are the Government; you made a commitment. Put your legislation on the table so that we can see it. Then we might be able to decide.
Mr Lamont: I thought we agreed to split the time that was remaining.
Mr Kaine: Are you running out of time?
MADAM SPEAKER: You have run out of time, absolutely. That is the end of the discussion.
Mr Kaine: Have we run out of time?
MADAM SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Kaine.
Mr Kaine: I do apologise. I thought I still had lots of time, Mr Lamont. I had a lot more to say, too.
MADAM SPEAKER: I am sorry; the timer did give you 10 minutes.
Mr Lamont: I presume that you will give up your speaking right on another occasion?
Mr Kaine: Yes, I will.
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