Page 744 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 24 March 1993
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Legislative Assembly - Mobile Telephones
MR STEVENSON: Madam Speaker, my question concerns the recent letter from you indicating that, with the purchase of five additional telephones, making eight - - -
Mr Berry: I take a point of order, Madam Speaker. This is an outrage. He has that thing hanging on the microphone there. It is disorderly conduct. He is behaving like a clown.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Berry, for bringing it to my attention. Mr Stevenson, that will make life difficult for the Hansard staff. Will you please remove it. I could not see it myself.
MR STEVENSON: It has stopped, Madam Speaker. It was Mr Cornwell's fault that you could not see it.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, please! Will you take it off the microphone? The microphones are for the use of Hansard.
MR STEVENSON: It is what I call my mobile phone. Perhaps I should begin again. My question concerns the recent letter from you, Madam Speaker, indicating that, with the purchase of five additional mobile phones, eight mobile phones are now available for the use of members. You wrote that the question of the allocation and use of the mobile phones was reviewed by the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedures and that priority will be given to female members of this Assembly. Would you agree that the basis for the allocation of all public resources administered by this Assembly should be merit and need, not gender or whether or not someone wears trousers?
Mr Lamont: It is for you, Dennis. The head of Clan Stuart wants their tartan back.
Mr Kaine: Madam Speaker, I take a point of order. That is unacceptable behaviour in this chamber, surely. If he wants to make phone calls, he can go up to his office to do it, surely.
MR STEVENSON: Madam Speaker, I would have believed that, if it had been from the clan of Stevenson or the clan of Fleming, which was my mother's maiden name. As I mentioned, should it not be on the basis of merit and need, not on the basis of whether someone is a woman or a man or whether or not they wear trousers? As it is obvious to all present that I do not have any trousers on, would the Speaker look favourably upon my circumstances in the allocation of public resources?
MADAM SPEAKER: I will take that question on notice.
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