Page 1426 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 26 September 1989
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alluded to. Overall the committee pointed to numerous matters which required further review of the program. I commend the report to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Kaine) adjourned.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (MEMBERS' STAFF) BILL 1989
Debate resumed from 24 August 1989, on motion by Ms Follett:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MR COLLAERY (3.52): Mr Speaker, the Chief Minister in bringing this Bill forward alluded to a principle of the employment of staff in the Assembly. One of the major principles in the memorandum which came with the Chief Minister's presentation speech was the statement that there was a required differentiation between career public servants and those who assist us more closely in our work in the Assembly. The Chief Minister indicated in that presentation speech that public servants should not be drawn into political and partisan argument. Mr Speaker, in giving a report to the Assembly I have just alluded to a matter relating to a Gordon lands issue. Members will recall a report in the Canberra Times wherein a number of unidentified public servants were reported as saying that it was unfortunate that Mr Collaery got his facts wrong on Gordon. One hopes that Ms Follett in dealing with her career public servants will bear in mind the very statement that she made.
This LA(MS) Bill creates a number of issues for the opposition, and being in opposition means being faced with many restrictions on access to information. The Residents Rally at least has found that it has had to resort to the freedom of information provisions increasingly to secure information from the Government on matters. After an initial experience of receiving a proposed bill for some thousands of dollars the Rally has desisted even from doing that.
Against the background of that current situation there is no doubt at all that it is a fact of life that there is competition for information in the political arena. What the Rally will not accept is attempts by the Government to use this and other legislation as a means of putting further limits on the opposition's ability to function successfully.
It is one of the abiding principles and benefits of a Westminster system that strong opposition leads to strong government. The LA(MS) Bill, by failing to enhance the opposition's ability to provide informed and sound opposition - through the use of consultants, for example -will ultimately damage the interests of this Territory.
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