Page 3157 - Week 15 - Thursday, 14 December 1989
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Mr Berry: So you should.
MR JENSEN: That is correct. We are not an unreasonable group, Mr Berry, as you will find in the future. During that meeting Mr Whalan said - and I also wrote some things in my notebook, as it is very useful to have them - "Until the role of the executive deputies is clarified, we will not participate in the proposals put forward".
Mr Speaker, the only aspect of chairmanship of committees that was discussed was the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee, and it was suggested during that discussion that the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee, in accordance with normal convention, be offered to the Leader of the Opposition. There is no problem, Mr Speaker. Mr Wood was concerned about the Public Accounts Committee having problems with the Independent Committee Against Corruption, but there is no problem. The chairman of the committee that will be overseeing that is, or should be, the Leader of the Opposition. There is no problem with that, Mr Speaker.
I heard the eloquent appeal from Mr Wood for the opposition to appoint a whip - or that is what it appeared to be to me and my colleagues. Mr Speaker, we would be quite happy to discuss with the opposition the appointment of a whip if that is what they so wish to do. We would be happy to do that. There are no problems, Mr Speaker.
Mr Wood and others have referred to concern about the role of the executive deputies. I put it to you, Mr Speaker, that it was quite clearly outlined in the guidelines that the Chief Minister put forward today. Mr Speaker, I do not think, quite frankly, that there is anything more for me to say. The Government consulted; the opposition decided. If they did not want to participate - - -
Ms Follett: Well, why don't you sit down?
MR JENSEN: I am sorry if it upsets you, Ms Follett, but those are the circumstances of the situation. That is what is going to happen. That is what will be discussed in this Assembly.
MR KAINE (Chief Minister) (11.58): Mr Speaker, I will be quite brief. This is an important matter. I had hoped the opposition would confront it seriously and agree on a course of action, because it was quite a reasonable proposal that we put to them. Mr Speaker, I think the debate has demonstrated quite positively that the opposition's assertion that we did not seek to consult with them is totally wrong, a total fabrication. We did, and we had hoped that we would come this morning with a solution to a problem that has to be resolved quickly.
These committees will need to meet. Because the Assembly is going to go into an adjournment now for some weeks it
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