Page 1962 - Week 07 - Thursday, 23 August 2007
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MR SPEAKER: There is a point of order.
Mr Corbell: Mr Speaker, the motion before the chair is that standing orders be suspended. It is not about the substantive matter—that is, why the Chief Minister is requesting that standing orders be suspended—nor is it about any of the other matters that Mrs Burke refers to. It is that standing orders be suspended.
MR SPEAKER: I would like members to confine themselves to whether or not standing orders should be suspended.
Mr Stefaniak: On a very simple point, Mr Speaker, in terms of this issue of standing orders being suspended, I would just ask you to review the transcript because I think we are operating on a false premise here. I do not actually think Mrs Burke ever said that.
MR SPEAKER: It does not matter what Mrs Burke said. There is a motion before the chair—
Mr Stefaniak: So we can do that on totally spurious grounds?
MR SPEAKER: Order! There is a motion before the chair that has to be considered by the house and we are going to proceed through the process. The question is that standing orders be suspended.
MRS BURKE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. In fact, Mr Stefaniak is right. I did say I would table it but I could not, and the Minister for Health knows this.
Ms Gallagher: No, I do not.
Mr Stanhope: Why not?
Ms Gallagher: Because she is alleging everyone gets sacked.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MRS BURKE: I am unable to table the evidence because if I do so, it will reveal the exact identity of the people who have come forward to give me the information. For the same reason the minister knows jolly well, and she sits there asking me to do something that she knows I cannot do. I have said that I could—
Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MRS BURKE: Mr Speaker, I will not be tabling the information, to protect the identity of those people who have come forward. However, I will ask and make further inquiries of the people in order that I may table evidence.
Mr Speaker, I believe the suspension of standing orders is totally inappropriate. I do not believe that it should be going ahead this afternoon. If government members want to put the jobs of people at risk by them coming forward, they can do so.
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