Page 2411 - Week 09 - Thursday, 17 September 1992
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MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
MRS GRASSBY: The Opposition brings very little work before the house. They do a lot of bleating, but that is about all.
Mr De Domenico: Move for an extension.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! Mr De Domenico, you will cease interjecting, please.
MRS GRASSBY: As we all know, during the Estimates Committee hearings we will be losing three members. They will not even be here to consider the estimates.
Mr Cornwell: Four.
MRS GRASSBY: We will be losing four, will we?
Mr Cornwell: You people still have to decide that, haven't you?
MRS GRASSBY: No. I think that decision has been made, has it not?
Mr De Domenico: Yes, it probably has, Mrs Grassby, in another place.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
MRS GRASSBY: So three members of the house will not even be here for the Estimates Committee hearings, which obviously are most important. An Estimates Committee is not for the Government; it is there so that the Opposition can question the Government on the work it is doing and on what the budget is all about. But three members are not even going to be here to do it. I am sure that we are going to have very early nights. Ministers are going to be able to go home very early. Of course, the public servants will be very happy about this. They will not have to spend any time here at night. All told, the Government is going to have a great time. It means that there will not be anybody here to question them. There will not be anybody to ask them where this money is being spent and what they are going to be doing.
Ms Ellis: Yes, there will. The Independents will do their bit, Mrs Grassby.
MRS GRASSBY: Will they? At least the Independents will be here. Is that right, Mr Moore?
Mr Moore: Indeed. And Ms Szuty will be here.
MRS GRASSBY: You are going to be here all the time. Is that right, Ms Szuty? Are you going to be here?
Ms Szuty: Yes.
MRS GRASSBY: I am not sure about Mr Stevenson. He is not in the house very often anyway, so I suppose - - -
Mr Moore: This is about accountability. He is not an Independent anyway.
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