Page 2446 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 1 July 2008

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appear that the committee did not resolve to do that. I acted, as a result, under a false premise, and that is a serious matter. It is also serious that a committee chair asserted the authority of the committee without having the committee’s authority to do so.

Those are the matters that warrant this matter being given precedence. Let us not forget that. The Speaker in this place has said the matter warrants precedence. It is serious enough to have precedence over all other business. That is not my decision; that is not the government’s decision; it is the Speaker’s decision.

This opposition need to treat it a little more seriously than simply trying to play the man, simply trying to drag down someone’s character and simply trying to suggest some improper motive. They need to address the substance of the motion, and the substance of the motion is: was there a breach of privilege? Did Mr Stefaniak act without the authority of the committee?

I believe that is the case. That is why I brought it to Mr Speaker’s attention and that is why I now, with the Speaker’s authority, with the Speaker’s permission, am moving this motion this morning. I think it is about time that the Liberal Party applied to themselves the same principles and the same level of scrutiny of their actions as they require of people on this side of the chamber. How about a bit of consistency? How about a bit of consistency in action, consistency in behaviour, consistency in asserting and use of authority?

It is for those reasons that the government believes that this motion should be passed today. It is for those same reasons that the government is very happy to accept the amendment moved by the opposition, because we want to get to the bottom of it and we want to make sure that, when ministers are requested, required, demanded to provide documents, those requests are made legitimately and with the authority of an Assembly committee, not just on the whim of the committee’s chair. I commend the motion to the Assembly.

Amendment agreed to.

Question put:

That Mr Corbell’s motion, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted––

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

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