Page 1630 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 18 May 1994
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proceed with it. When the Government tables legislation like that they wish to proceed in the same way. There are many pieces of legislation. We work long and late hours to ensure that we have our amendments ready and that we have negotiated with the Government. In this case it seemed to me that the Government's response was slow. Meetings were difficult to arrange. Mr Humphries was always ready to have a meeting but it was difficult to get hold of Mr Connolly. I accept that Mr Connolly has just taken on a new ministerial role and that has made it more difficult.
Madam Speaker, what we are after - this has been a mark of this chamber - is the best possible legislation that we can get. Whilst I agree with the points raised by Mr Kaine, I think the best approach for us at the moment is to accept that this legislation can be delayed yet again, but, come June and the June sittings, there will be no further room for delay. We accept the good intention. We accept the Government's clear intention in two ways. Firstly, they understand that the Bill has been passed in principle and they will take appropriate care with appointments made between this time and when the legislation is through, with appropriate consultation where appointments must be made, following the spirit of the Bill. That happened, I must say, with the appointment that Mr Lamont made in the area of racing. The appropriate consultation process was followed. Secondly, the understanding is that this Bill will come before the Assembly in June and be dealt with to completion. I will be available, and I hope that Mr Humphries will be available, over the next two or three weeks - he indicates that he will be - to debate this legislation. Quite clearly, the administration that is trying to get together the material that the Chief Minister speaks of needs to understand that in June this will be going through in its present form or with the modifications that we may agree to through a collegiate process - a process to which Mr Stevenson and Ms Szuty are invited, as well as the Government and the Opposition.
MR HUMPHRIES (10.57): Mr Connolly has given us an extraordinary lesson in how not to win friends or influence people. He has a quite unique debating style in parliament. He attacks people he hopes to persuade to his point of view. It is very tempting to thumb our noses at the point of view he is putting purely because of the approach he has adopted. Mr Connolly sent a letter to all members of the Opposition. In the final paragraph of that letter he said:
I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions you may have on what the parameters of this Bill should be.
I took that suggestion very seriously on behalf of my colleagues and I had discussions with Mr Connolly about this Bill. I indicated my intention to do so some time beforehand. That opportunity arose last sitting week and I sat down with Mr Moore and Mr Connolly to talk about this Bill. Mr Connolly indicated at the end of that conversation that he would be getting back to Mr Moore and me with certain comments about the scope of the Bill as it presently stands. I heard nothing more from Mr Connolly until he rose in the Assembly today to get stuck into the Liberal Party and the Independents. That is fine.
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