Page 3921 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 9 November 1994
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MR MOORE: I know about the rifts in the other party; today I am talking about the rifts in the Liberal Party. Madam Speaker, what we really have here, apart from the attack on Mr Kaine for being incompetent on this issue, unlike the way he works in the Public Accounts Committee, is an admission of Mrs Carnell's inability to lead the Liberal Party as a team and to get the issues up and running. Not being able to do that, she says, "What I will do instead is bring it back before the Assembly, and we will get it resolved that way". Then we get all these pretensions about it not being before the committee. Codswallop! Of course it is before the committee. The committee's terms of reference make it very clear. They refer to "any associated legislation" and, if that was not enough, they also include "any other related matter".
Really, Madam Speaker, the committee has no problem in considering this. We have heard two members of the committee tell us that they are considering it. We also know from the Hansard of the previous debates on this issue that a number of people have said that it is appropriate for the committee to consider this issue as part of that inquiry. If we look at the whole picture, Madam Speaker, instead of trying to be selective and exclude the parts that we do not like, it is quite clear that this is before the committee. It is quite clear that Mr Kaine could have had a report back to this Assembly by now if he wished. It is also quite clear, Madam Speaker, that, if Mr Kaine and his committee want to have this back before the Assembly in the next session of private members business, that is also perfectly possible.
Madam Speaker, there is no doubt that there are some very important issues raised by the Public Interest Disclosure Bill. In many ways it provides some very important protections for people - I have spoken to that before - and for openness in government. It is quite important. So, let us get Mr Kaine's committee up and cracking and let us get a report back so that we can debate this properly with the benefit of that report. Mrs Carnell cannot get you moving, Mr Kaine; but, with a bit of encouragement from the rest of the Assembly, we know that you can do it. We have seen you do it on the Public Accounts Committee. So, let us get going.
MR DE DOMENICO (11.47): Madam Speaker, it has been interesting sitting here listening to the debate this morning because - - -
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr De Domenico, you fall into the same category as Mr Moore. I gather that members are giving Mr De Domenico leave to speak.
Leave granted.
MR DE DOMENICO: Have I spoken? It has been so long, Madam Speaker, that I have forgotten.
MADAM SPEAKER: Apparently so, yes.
MR DE DOMENICO: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and members.
MADAM SPEAKER: That is all right. You have leave.
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