Page 1493 - Week 05 - Thursday, 7 April 2005
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That is why Mrs Dunne wrote to you, Mr Speaker, and that is why we moved not to agree with your decision—because it is unclear. We have been forced to the position of moving a motion of no confidence in the minister because we have been thwarted in that process. The process should have been allowed to go ahead, as it has gone ahead in other parliaments since time immemorial.
The opposition does not have any confidence in the Minister for Health, Minister for Planning and Manager of Government Business, Mr Corbell. We have seen that this minister, on four occasions, has had findings against him in this place. On 22 May 2003 the Minister for Health deliberately withheld information from the estimates committee with regard to data on the waiting lists. As a result, on 3 November 2003 a select committee of privileges found that the minister was in contempt of the Assembly. This minister has already been found by a committee to be in contempt of the Assembly. On 18 November the Assembly passed a motion expressing grave concern about the Minister for Health being found in contempt of the Assembly by a select committee of privileges. On 23 September 2003 the Assembly passed the following motion:
That the Assembly censures Mr Corbell (Minister for Planning) for his refusal to negotiate with the owners of the site at the corner of Nettlefold Street and Coulter Drive as directed by the Assembly.
This is the minister who refuses to follow the directions of the Assembly, the Assembly that he is ultimately beholden to for his position of authority. Indeed last year, on 24 June, the Assembly passed a motion censuring the minister for health and planning for persistently and wilfully misleading the Assembly on a number of issues. It is a sad day when we are drawn to this—when we have a leader of the house, a manager of government business—
Mr Quinlan: Wring your hands, mate!
MR SMYTH: We get Mr Quinlan’s objection. That is the standard approach of the Treasurer, who simply treats everything dismissively. That is the other hallmark of this government—the dismissive way they treat everything. They are now so arrogantly entrenched in their majority that they think they can do and say anything they please. We will see more of this over the next 3½ years, I have no doubt. Already there is dismay out in the community. Many people I meet and speak to—
Mr Quinlan: They are all ringing your office, are they—or Mrs Burke’s office?
MR SMYTH: No. They speak to me when I go out to functions. If you went to functions, Treasurer, and spoke to people, instead of telling them you are going to squeeze the blood out of them, if you spoke to them reasonably about the things they are concerned about, you would know that people are concerned about the way this government is progressing.
Restricting the sitting times, attempting to shut down the corridor, stacking the committees—it is now trying to stack the estimates committee—is not the hallmark of a government that is honest, open and accountable in its processes. That is the problem. That is why we are here today.
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