Page 4906 - Week 15 - Thursday, 15 December 2005
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hard trying to keep up with everything that is on the notice paper. I register that concern here, and I am going to vote against the motion that we go straight to executive business.
MRS BURKE (Molonglo) (12.01): I have to agree, in part, with Dr Foskey. Although the government whip and I have had extensive discussions this morning, I have to say that the organisation has been shambolic in terms of what was preorganised by the government with the opposition members and possibly the crossbench members. I have to say that, whilst I will agree with executive business being brought forward as agreed with the government whip, I also have to take on board the crossbench comments and note for the public record—
Mr Quinlan: You agree with everybody.
MRS BURKE: Yes. It may not matter to you, Mr Quinlan. In your arrogant way, it may not matter to you, but it certainly does matter to the opposition and crossbenchers. I know that the government would like to feel that we are all irrelevant in this place—but, too bad, we are not. So I just register my agreement with Dr Foskey in certain areas. I also say that we have had discussion, but it was brought on a little late and a little rushed and it just seems to be a little all over the place today.
MS MacDONALD (Brindabella) (12.02): I want to make a couple of comments because Dr Foskey has raised some points about not being kept informed and being taken for granted. I think that is the general thrust of what she has just said. Mrs Burke has made a couple of comments that I need to respond to as well.
I would say that on any given sitting day the daily program is fluid and is subject to change. I appreciate that Dr Foskey is a little bit annoyed because she had been absent from the chamber, writing a speech, and I am sorry that I had not passed on the intention. But I only became aware of it late. We are trying, as I have explained to Dr Foskey and Mrs Burke, to get through as much business as we can, this being the last sitting day before Christmas, in order that we can go to the adjournment debate early, for which I will be moving a motion later so that everybody can be allowed to make a speech.
I endeavour as the government whip to speak to all parties, but sometimes there just is not the time to get everything across. I have been running around this morning, trying to speak to parties, and there has been quite a bit of confusion about what has been going on; I do not deny that. But there was certainly no intention to take Dr Foskey for granted. So I just wanted to put that on the record, and also put on the record that on any given sitting day the daily program is a fluid matter and is subject to change. Members need to keep this in mind. The role of the whips is to try to keep people informed. Dr Foskey needs to keep that in mind, and it certainly was not the case that we were trying to take her for granted or to injure her.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Minister for Health and Minister for Planning) (12.05), in reply: I understand Dr Foskey’s concerns. However, the time allotted for Assembly business would have expired had I not called on executive business at 12 minutes past 12 today. That would have permitted only one speaker effectively on this motion. I think it is more appropriate that, when this debate is called back on, there is sufficient time for the debate to be concluded in a single period rather than just having one more speaker. So that is the reason I chose to take that course of action—that combined with the fact
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