Page 1662 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 18 May 1994
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Assembly Members - Staff Entitlements
MR HUMPHRIES: My question is to the chair of the Assembly's Social Policy Committee, Ms Ellis.
Mr Wood: We could not ask you one; you do not meet.
MR HUMPHRIES: We have had plenty of meetings, Mr Wood. I have had more exposure to committees than you have lately. Ms Ellis, I note that your colleague Mr Berry, the Government Whip and Manager of Government Business, has been given a staffing allocation considerably above yours. Do you feel that the staffing allocation you have is sufficient to enable you to carry on your onerous duties as an elected member of the Assembly, a representative of the people of Tuggeranong, chair of the Social Policy Committee, and a member of numerous other committees in this place, or do you agree that Mr Berry is being paid off by the Chief Minister?
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, that question is out of order. You are permitted to ask Ms Ellis, as chair of the Social Policy Committee, about social policy matters, not about the management of the Assembly and its entitlements.
Mr Moore: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: I believe that on previous occasions when questions have been out of order you have allowed Ministers to answer the question. I saw Ms Ellis jump to her feet then. I wonder whether you would take into account that precedent and allow her to reply, should she wish to.
MADAM SPEAKER: Are you inferring that Ms Ellis is a Minister, Mr Moore?
Mr Moore: That could happen very quickly, Madam Speaker. We know that these things happen very quickly. The precedent has been set in that when questions have been asked you have allowed Ministers to proceed with an answer. I ask you to reconsider that position.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Moore, I did not see a Minister rushing in to answer the question.
Mr Moore: No, Ms Ellis.
Mr Humphries: Ms Ellis did. She wants to answer the question.
MADAM SPEAKER: Ms Ellis is not a Minister and it is not a matter that she is entitled to answer. If a Minister chooses to answer he or she may. We either run our question time according to the rules or we do not.
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