Page 1124 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 8 April 2008
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Mr Corbell: It was not a formal document.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Corbell, cease interjecting.
MRS BURKE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. What did the manager of government business not get about that? He leads the arrogance in this place by abusing his position as manager of government business by not conducting and carrying on the affairs of this place in a proper manner.
Mr Corbell: Oh, diddums.
MRS BURKE: No, it is not diddums; it is childish behaviour that has been revealed today—very childish behaviour. Mr Pratt tried to get a briefing on this matter and was denied. We have a letter here that Mr Pratt received from Mr Hargreaves. It says:
Thank you for your letter dated 3 April 2008 about a briefing on roadside drug testing and your offer to have your staff liaise with departmental officers to arrange it.
There was then some diatribe in the middle about protocol and all this stuff. Mr Pratt has been trying to work with the government for 20 months.
Mr Hargreaves: Give me a break.
Mr Pratt: Let the record show it then. Let the record show this.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mrs Burke has the floor. Mr Pratt and Mr Hargreaves!
MRS BURKE: Now we have this because of some sort of male pride or some such knee-jerk, scaring reaction: “My goodness, the opposition might actually get this through or get this out before I can.” We have only given you nearly three years to do it. Where have you been, Mr Hargreaves? You then said in this letter to Mr Pratt:
When the Government announces its position on this issue, I will arrange a briefing for you.
I think that is total arrogance. I seek leave to table that letter.
Leave granted.
MRS BURKE: I table the following paper:
Roadside drug testing—Briefing—Letter to Mr Pratt from Mr Hargreaves, dated 7 April 2008.
The shadow minister has tried a number of times to work with the government on this. We have shown our hand to the government on good legislation, which the government has been at least 20 months behind on. This was something that was noticed in 2005 that was going to become a really big issue for the future. The amount
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