Page 1108 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 6 May 2014
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Mr Hanson: Madam Speaker, everyone else seems to be having a go, so why not?
MADAM SPEAKER: So long as this is—
Mr Hanson: It is a legitimate response to the points raised by Mr Corbell.
MADAM SPEAKER: Okay.
Mr Hanson: The point that Mr Corbell is making is that, essentially, the committee chair can be asked about a range of responsibilities as committee chair—be it about reporting, hearings and so on, in the committee chair’s role as the chair. That is what Mr Coe did. He is asking about the provision of information from the committee by the chair.
It does not necessarily exclude, I think, the question being out of order simply because it relates to a particular aspect of the committee’s responsibilities. The provision of privileged information by the committee chair, how that information got out and whether the chair released it are of particular interest to this Assembly. I think that it is relevant to the standing orders. I do not think that simply because there is particular phrasing about a specific example it should not be about generic cases. There is a case in point, and I think the committee chair is behoven to answer it, based on the requirements of standing order 116.
MADAM SPEAKER: I made my ruling, and I stick by my ruling, on the basis that Mr Coe asked in relation to a report on a bill that was tabled this morning. Because this is an area of some uncertainty and there is very little precedent here, it could be open to me to ask Mr Coe to rephrase his question. Mr Coe, would you like to rephrase your question?
MR COE: Sure, Madam Speaker. My question is to the chair of the planning, environment and territory and municipal services committee. Chair, have you ever disclosed to Mr Corbell information about deliberations of a committee meeting?
MR GENTLEMAN: Just for clarity, can I say no, I have had no direct discussion with Minister Corbell about the activities of that committee in this regard. Can I also say that in relation to the discussion this morning about the minutes of the committee, the minutes of the committee were provided to me and other committee members around five minutes before I tabled that statement. So there was no opportunity to even share them with Mr Corbell.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe?
MR COE: Chair, are you aware of any other committee member or staff telling Mr Corbell or others about how members voted on paragraphs in draft reports?
MR GENTLEMAN: I am not aware of any detailed discussion on that, Madam Speaker.
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