Page 5930 - Week 14 - Thursday, 8 December 2011
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Speaker in the management of the precinct by the provision of services to members such as the provision of office space, car parking and general housekeeping. Managers of business only have to negotiate with the manager of government business which legislation will be debated or presented to the Assembly. This role is not recognised by the Remuneration Tribunal as warranting an allowance.
I would contend that a major role of whips is to represent their group in the administration of private members’ business, to assist the Speaker in the management of the precinct and to advise the Speaker, for example, on changes to entitlements, the compilation of the budget for the Assembly, and proposed changes to chamber processes and procedures.
The standing orders detail the role of the administrative and procedure committee and specifically appoints the Speaker to the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure. Indeed, it outlines the membership of the committee. Standing order 16(b) states:
the Committee shall consist of the Speaker and no more than five other Members …
It does not require the other members to represent a given sector, unlike the membership of other committees. Perhaps it should do so for the membership of administration and procedure. Also, in all my time here I have never seen an administration and procedure committee with greater than four members in total.
I contend that if the standing committee on administration and procedure can determine the Speaker as a member, and that that Speaker shall chair the committee, the standing orders should prescribe the whole membership. I also contend that, as the Remuneration Tribunal recognises the administrative nature of duties performed by whips through the allocation of an allowance, it is appropriate that the whips be appointed through the standing orders.
I recognise that the crossbench whip is, at this time, not recognised by the Remuneration Tribunal but I would contend that in 1998 to 2001 neither was the opposition whip, Mr Corbell. But Mr Corbell, as opposition whip, was a member of admin and procedure. This would also mean that parties do not have to nominate members but merely advise the Clerk of who has been appointed—the whip for their grouping as happens now. I contend that there is a case for recognition by the Remuneration Tribunal of the role of the crossbench whip in coordinating the occupiers of those benches.
I also believe that we need to change the standing orders now for introduction immediately. If the membership is prescribed in the standing orders it will mean that we will go into 2012 with a formal regime in place. Mr Speaker, this Assembly has changed much in terms of the standing orders relating to the business of the house. I contend that this change will formalise that which should have been done years ago and will assist in bringing a formal structure to the assistance given to the Speaker and, indeed, to the sectors within this place.
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