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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 2217 ..

MR BERRY (5.02): I have a few words to say in relation to this. It seems to me that Mr Moore has said, "My sandpit is not big enough and I want it bigger, and I want more toys to play with", and the Government has acceded to these demands. The problem I have with it is that it strikes me that Mr Moore has more than enough to occupy himself in the health portfolio. If you look at all of the situations that have developed in recent times, there would be more than enough to occupy him. On the other hand, if the Government is saying, "No, we have some flexibility; he can do other things", then maybe we did not need to create the office of Health Minister. Perhaps somebody else could have done it.

Let me put this to you. Say that people are on a waiting list for a particular matter which Mr Moore dismissed during question time, a circumcision. Circumcisions can be very serious for some people at some times.

Mr Moore: I did not dismiss that. I said if there was a clinical need - - -

MR BERRY: I thought you were fairly dismissive of it.

Mr Moore: I said if there was a clinical need, of course they will be taken care of.

MR BERRY: You were fairly dismissive of that, and you were fairly dismissive of breast reductions, as I recall. These things can be very serious for some people. Take, for example, someone with an aortic aneurism who misses out on an operation and goes home. I am sure they would be very happy, Mr Moore, having missed out on their operation, that when they went outside to get in their car there was no litter under their windscreen wiper. I am sure they would be really impressed. I am sure they would be really impressed that you were able to muck around with these sorts of things. On the other side of the thing, somebody who had been waiting for an operation for - - -

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, I would remind you that we are discussing an amendment to standing orders. We are not discussing other matters.

MR BERRY: Indeed, but it is to enable Mr Moore to broaden his sandpit a bit and deal with issues such as the Director of Public Prosecutions (Amendment) Bill. I am sure that somebody who is waiting for an operation would not accept the excuse that Mr Moore is too busy to deal with it today; he is dealing with an amendment to some legislation which - - -

MR SPEAKER: I do not see Mr Moore's name mentioned in the motion. I do see an amendment to standing orders. I would ask you to address it.

MR BERRY: I am, Mr Speaker, and it is so that Mr Moore can deal with legislation which is already tabled here, such as the Director of Public Prosecutions (Amendment) Bill and the Litter (Amendment) Bill which are before this chamber. I merely make the point that Mr Moore must not have much to do if he has to have his sandpit extended to be able to deal with this sort of legislation, or if nobody else in the Government with the portfolio responsibilities for these pieces of legislation can be convinced that they are necessary.

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