Page 2829 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 13 September 1994
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legislative exercise and a separate Cabinet exercise got misplaced and the officer went ahead with the original speech. Not being aware of this - perhaps not checking - but again focusing mainly on the uniform exercise, he made reference in the speech to a provision that is, in fact, not in the Bill and has not yet been fully considered by government. For that reason, I am not seeking to bring forward urgent amendments to pick it up, because it is an issue of some significance and requires proper consideration by government and by the Assembly.
Mr Humphries: This is the Watergate excuse.
MR CONNOLLY: I do not think this is the Watergate excuse; nor do I think it is the streaker's excuse - I saw a profile on Senator Evans on the 7.30 Report. It is the best excuse that we have, because it is the truth and is somewhat embarrassing, I must confess. But that is how the reference got in. I accept responsibility for not picking it up, and the only thing I can say is that really a lot of our focus has been on getting this uniformity package through. I should have realised that the reference in the speech to potential capping was incorrect and was part of another exercise that is moving along, but sometimes when you are moving along a whole range of legislative exercises you are aware that it is happening but you can get it misplaced.
That is the excuse, unsatisfactory as it may be but truthful, and Mr Humphries was correct in pointing out that the Bill does not contain a clause that was referred to in the speech. That is because it is going through a separate exercise. I will not be bringing an amendment before the Assembly this evening, because it is an issue of some principle that the Government needs to consider in the appropriate manner and that the Assembly, I think, needs to consider as a separate exercise. I thank the Opposition for their support for the legislation as it is before them.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
POSTPONEMENT OF ORDERS OF THE DAY
Motion (by Mr Berry) agreed to:
That order of the day No. 5, Executive business, relating to the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 1994, be postponed until the next day of sitting.
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