Page 397 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 21 February 1990
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The Assembly voted -
AYES, 11 NOES, 6
Mr Collaery Mr Berry
Mr Duby Ms Follett
Mr Humphries Mrs Grassby
Mr Jensen Mr Moore
Mr Kaine Mr Whalan
Dr Kinloch Mr Wood
Ms Maher
Mrs Nolan
Mr Prowse
Mr Stefaniak
Mr Stevenson
Question so resolved in the affirmative.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
MR SPEAKER: Do you claim to have been misrepresented?
MS FOLLETT: I do indeed.
MR SPEAKER: Please proceed.
MS FOLLETT: During the debate that we have just had, both Mr Humphries and Mr Jensen accused me and members of the Opposition of having no interest in this Assembly's committee system. In fact, Mr Humphries specifically stated that we considered it beneath us. That is absolutely untrue. From the outset I have made clear - and I have stated this on behalf of all of our members - the very high esteem in which we hold the Assembly's committee system and our total support for the work of that committee system. But I would like to point out that the Government has fallen into its very own little trap. It continues under the misapprehension that it is in control of the Assembly's committees and it is not.
Mr Jensen says I have not bothered to reply to Mr Kaine's letter on the Assembly's committee system. Mr Speaker, you know, and Mr Kaine also knows, that I have replied to the appropriate person who is you, not the Leader of the Government. These are Assembly committees, not government committees and that is at the very heart of our current difficulty. As Mr Wood has said, we are ready willing and able to take a full part in the Assembly committees. We only await clarification of some of the problems that I have raised with you, Mr Speaker - problems which I believe act to reduce the efficiency of those committees in representing the views of this Assembly. One of those problems - a major problem, in my view - is the fact that
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