Page 3087 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 November 1992
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MR LAMONT: Mr Kaine, you have been standing up and saying that you are better than those on the fifth floor. One would assume that your own people were far better at such security. Madam Speaker, I believe that the Estimates Committee process is a process which serves this Assembly, and any assembly or government, extremely well. I believe that the intention and activity of all members of this Assembly is above reproach in relation to the processing of the hearings, other than that some people may not have been able to be here. The question underlying all this is a belief, whether rightly or wrongly held, by a number of members that they were denied at least that final opportunity.
Mr Kaine: Only three.
MR LAMONT: Hang on a second; I am not saying whether it is 19 or 23 or 17. All I am saying is that after all of that good work there was a quite simple process which could have seen this report finalised in the manner in which we commenced our quite onerous task.
Madam Speaker, I mentioned a number of issues and hopefully some of them answered the original criticism of Ms Szuty. I would be quite pleased to show Ms Szuty, later on this evening, where all of the other quotes came quite properly from this second draft. I thank you for your consideration, Madam Speaker.
MR WESTENDE (8.55): Madam Speaker, as Mr Kaine has said, there were initially some misgivings in the Liberal Party about appointing Ms Szuty to chair this committee; but I can assure you that those misgivings were soon erased.
Mr Berry: How would you know? You were not here. You were in Holland.
MR WESTENDE: If you will allow me, Mr Berry, I will explain. If you can speak four languages, as I can, maybe you can answer in one. Madam Speaker, whilst the Government relishes making a meal out of the fact that certain members of the Opposition were not present during the Estimates Committee hearings, I must reiterate that my commitment to travel overseas was made long before I was aware of the Estimates Committee meetings.
Mr Connolly: Then you cannot comment on the Estimates Committee, because you were not here.
MR WESTENDE: Yes, I can. I could not change my dates of travel. I also want to reiterate that as a result of my absence from the hearings I did not abrogate my responsibilities in making some contribution to them, albeit indirectly. I am in the fortunate position of being able to engage outside help in the form of accountants and I read all the budget papers. As a result of that I was able to formulate the questions relating to my portfolio and to hand them over to my colleagues. I want to pay tribute to my colleagues, especially Mr Cornwell. I would rather pay out of my own pocket, which I did, for something that I feel I owe to the electors and that does not abrogate my responsibilities. That is what I did. As I said, in that regard I would like to acknowledge the excellent contribution of my colleagues.
Of course, I regret that I was unable to be here and I can assure the Government that that will not happen next year. I genuinely was not aware that the three weeks that we had in between sittings were going to be taken up by the Estimates Committee. That will never ever happen - - -
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