Page 3105 - Week 14 - Thursday, 7 December 1989
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Chief Minister that she had not been offered a ministry. The fact is that Mr Kaine and I have said for a long, long time, on the subject of collegiate government, that we would offer a ministry, and that a ministry was on offer whenever we could form a government, to all parties in the Assembly.
On several occasions the Chief Minister mentioned publicly that that was not a sensible proposal and not a practical proposition. I think the whole town knows that that was her response, and she has declined a ministry. But in the event that the former Deputy Chief Minister has a hankering to see his colleague cross the floor, then I am authorised by Mr Kaine now to offer Ms Follett a ministry, if she wishes to approach us. So I repeat that earlier public offer.
Mr Moore: And Mr Stevenson. You said "every party".
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Moore!
MR COLLAERY: Finally, the alliance Government set out today to see whether we could have a dignified chamber. We resolved to do our best to put this Assembly's interests as a parliamentary institution forward for the community, knowing that there still would be certainly some interstate press interest in the Assembly. We have not fared very well interstate, and I think all members recognise that. Again we have been pulled down by this type of behaviour. Mr Speaker, I sincerely hope that this alliance Government can go away shortly today and form the necessary machinery for government and will come back in the new year with a renewed program - an honest, open program of government. And, Mr Speaker, the gag will be moved in this Assembly by the alliance Government whenever the debate degenerates as it did this morning.
MR WHALAN (11.50): Mr Speaker, I move as an amendment to the motion:
Omit "Thursday, 14", substitute "Wednesday, 13".
I move that amendment because this motion is clearly designed to deny those of us on this side of the chamber the opportunity to raise matters under the private members' area of the agenda of this Assembly. It is quite clearly a device to deny democracy to the citizens of Canberra and to deny democracy to the members of the opposition. At every time throughout the life of the period when we were in government, Mr Speaker, we sought to provide every possible opportunity for the members of the then opposition to raise matters of private business. I think that the extent to which we pursued that practice is evidenced by our willingness on frequent occasions to extend the period of - - -
Mr Jensen: On a point of order, Mr Speaker; I might draw the house's attention to standing order 35, which states:
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