Page 1394 - Week 07 - Thursday, 24 August 1989
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this Government at all. I would have thought that it would have been possible for the ACT Administration, before we ever arrived here, to have had some kind of legislation prepared. It was very embarrassing to have to ask someone who was already in a job, with superannuation, with tenure, with sick leave, all those things, to come and work here. I had to explain, "I am sorry, but there is no legislation of this kind". So I think that part of the blame must go back to the ACT Administration in its preparation for putting us in this place. I feel we should not pursue blame-laying on the people here.
There are some problems with the Bill. I hope we will come to the Bill. I hope we will be very concerned indeed about our staff members, of course. This is a strange suggestion perhaps, Mr Speaker, but Dr Caldwell of the Centre for Continuing Education suggested to me that it could be that at some time in the early history of our Assembly we might have some kind of very useful seminar, a cross-party seminar, where we might look at our procedures, the way we have worked, how it has been, a kind of way to look at ourselves and see what it has been like. Now, I would like to put that before the Assembly as a possibility.
Preparation of Legislation
MRS GRASSBY (Minister for Housing and Urban Services) (5.43): Mr Speaker, I do not understand how they can say there is no preparation. The Bills are laid on the table. There is time for discussion. As for the ACT Administration being blamed, I object to that. I think that the public servants of this city have done a very good job to get self-government here. If the opposition do not know how government is run, then I suggest that they learn how to do it. I am wondering, Mr Speaker, with the LA(MS) Bill, are we going to end up with many Kevin Byrons in Canberra and his Heaven - you know, lots of bottles of Chandon in the fridge. That is how it seems to me, Mr Speaker.
Mr Jensen: I thought it was "Biro", actually.
MRS GRASSBY: Biro. It was Kevin Biro.
Business of the Assembly
MR HUMPHRIES (5.44): I may as well have my two pennies worth as well, Mr Speaker.
Ms Follett: I thought you already had.
MR HUMPHRIES: No, I have not, in fact.
MR SPEAKER: You have not, according to my list.
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