Page 830 - Week 03 - Thursday, 14 April 1994
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On the second point that was raised, dissenting reports on dissenting reports, it is my view that, had Mr Moore, as chair of the committee, not liked the committee's majority decision, he was at liberty to provide a dissenting report. It simply would have meant that he had a responsibility as chair of the committee to present the report, but that as a member of the committee he had the same entitlement as all other members to dissent from the majority decision.
That is the point Mr Moore fails to recognise when arguing that it is a dissenting report on a dissenting report. Had Mr Moore placed a dissenting report in almost the terms or exactly the terms of his preface, there would have been no objection from me, there would have been no additional comments from me, there would have been no objection raised to those additional comments being included in the report, printed, published and authorised for distribution. I believe that I have successfully answered on both the convention as far as the preface is concerned and the question of dissenting reports on dissenting reports. I also believe that it is not unknown for a chairman of a committee to deliver a dissenting report. Ms Szuty, thankfully, has indicated to Mr Moore at least two occasions where that has occurred. That places at rest the third issue.
The fourth issue raised by Mr Moore was what we do about the distribution of these additional comments. The authority for the distribution of these comments is taken on by the Assembly Secretariat. The persons to whom they have been forwarded are known to the Assembly Secretariat. The Assembly Secretariat has the additional copies not already distributed. It is a simple process - at a cost, I will admit, of 42c for each stamp - to send them out to those people they need to be posted to.
Ms Follett: It is 45c.
MR LAMONT: The Chief Minister says that it is 45c. I understand that there is a bulk mailing discount available, Chief Minister.
Mr De DOMENICO: If there is not, there should be.
MR LAMONT: And if there is not, there should be, Mr De Domenico interjects. So the cost is not substantial in that regard. In regard to those copies which are already held by the Assembly, I understand that the process is fairly straightforward for these comments to be reduced to the appropriate size and pasted into the back of the report.
I think I have answered the four points that were raised in objection to the motion I have put before you. I do not wish to recanvass the position, but I do believe that I have adequately covered all of the issues raised by Mr Moore and I look forward to his support for this motion as well.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
MADAM SPEAKER: We will return to Mr Moore's report. The question before us is: That the report be noted.
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