Page 3114 - Week 14 - Thursday, 7 December 1989
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Mr Wood: Steady on; not as much as that.
MR WHALAN: It was not as much as that. Once a year would be good enough for Joh.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Whalan, you are getting away from the point.
MR WHALAN: Yes, but it is important because it is relevant to this part of the motion which says that we should adjourn. The point is that, as was stated so eloquently by an earlier speaker about the traditions of the National Party being grafted onto the Residents Rally party of the ACT, those traditions of the National Party which have been adopted are the same sorts of traditions that we will see adopted in relation to the sitting pattern of this Assembly in the future. We will see the people opposite imposing upon this Assembly a sitting pattern which will confine us to two or three sitting days in the first six months of next year. Three days will be required in order to comply with the statutory requirement that we do sit at least every two months. That is quite an important statutory requirement, and there is no doubt at all that Mr Kaine, being a man of principle and a man of honour, would not do anything that would in any way be contrary to the law. So we can anticipate one day's sitting every two months. In the process of doing that - - -
Mr Kaine: If you keep this up, we will still be sitting.
Mrs Grassby: That is good. That is what we want to do. We want to keep you sitting to do some work. That is the only way we can get you in here.
Mr Kaine: And we can listen to all this garbage for the next two hours.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Whalan, I draw your attention to standing order 62. It refers to repetitious - - -
MR WHALAN: Can I just get my standing orders out, please.
MR SPEAKER: Certainly; I will read it to you, if you wish.
MR WHALAN: No, I can read. What is the point, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Please stick closely to the point, Mr Whalan.
MR WHALAN: The point of this discussion, Mr Speaker, is the question of the adjournment, and that raises then the whole question of the democratic processes and practices of this Assembly. Quite clearly, we now have in place a government which is going to abuse the processes of democracy, those traditions which have been built up in this chamber over the life of this Assembly. There has been opportunity for consultation and cooperation in determining the sitting patterns, in determining the business arrangements and in providing all members with
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