Page 5591 - Week 13 - Thursday, 17 November 2011
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occasion to make the ultimate sacrifice of devoting some time to this particular task. I think the idea of greater collaboration between executive and non-executive members is one that has been talked about in this place for some time. I recognise that there will obviously be a degree of scepticism from those opposite.
Mr Smyth: There is a conflict of interest.
MR BARR: I am not sure that that actually is the case. If members choose to approach this process in the spirit in which it is being put forward, then I think there is every prospect of a good and agreed outcome across all parties represented in this place. So for that reason, the government is happy to participate in this process in this way.
I recognise that this would be a first, although not the first time that a member of the executive has sat on a committee within the Assembly. I have had that pleasure once before in relation to a privileges matter. My colleagues have observed that I have not spent enough time working on committees, so—
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, you will be on a warning soon.
MR BARR: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. My colleagues have observed that I have not spent enough time working on committees in this place. So I look forward to that process in relation to the specific task before us. But I think in the context of Ms Bresnan’s motion, this is a specific task. It does relate to a specific piece of legislation.
I understand that in working through the detail of how this proposal would work—its origins go back to the parliamentary agreement between Labor and the Greens party—there has been some evolution in thinking and that rather than having executive members sit on the standing committees, adopting a select committee approach on a specific issue was felt to be the best way to progress this collaborative arrangement.
So I think in the context of this proposal—the Election Commitments Costing Bill is a specific piece of work; it is there as an exposure draft—the process could work to develop a piece of legislation that all parties could agree to. I think that is a laudable goal, to at least begin the process, and I hope that the committee will be able to function effectively and deliver the Assembly with a piece of legislation that can be supported. I note the opportunity to discuss the exposure draft has been there for a little while and that some people have obviously already had some thoughts in relation to that.
We are happy to support the motion as amended by Ms Bresnan and will not be supporting Mr Smyth’s amendment.
Amendment negatived.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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