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that he would be as open as possible. This is something that has been a matter of some contention over the last six or seven years. I will have the opportunity to talk to Mr Wood before we debate the matter under private members business and to get that motion into a reasonable shape so that it can be seen as much more sensible by some of us on the crossbenches. It would seem to me that when a matter on the notice paper is outstanding it would be inappropriate for government to take action on it in the nature of a pre-emptive strike. Mr Speaker, I raise that issue and invite members of the Government to respond.

Lease Betterment Payments

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (4.45), in reply: In closing the debate, Mr Speaker, I am very happy to respond to Mr Moore. We are acutely aware that we on this side of the chamber are only seven members in an Assembly of 17, and the last thing any of us wish to do is to take a step which we know perfectly well will be opposed by a majority on the floor of this house. It may be from time to time that we face some kind of reprimand or censure, or whatever, from those elsewhere in the chamber because of something we have done. I can assure you that it will be on occasions when we have driven over a landmine without knowing that it is there, not because we have seen it in the middle of the road and have driven straight for it. Mr Speaker, any changes of a major kind which we believe are likely not to be supported by members of the Assembly we will certainly either flag in this place or raise individually with members of the Assembly. Indeed, we have done some of that already, I understand, with some issues in the last few weeks. I hope that that will be the tenet not just for this Government but for other governments that follow.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Assembly adjourned at 4.46 pm

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