Page 1692 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 18 May 1994
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Mr Berry: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: The issue of staffing is not a matter that is up for debate.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! We are debating a change in standing orders. If you wish to debate staffing allocations, put up a motion about staffing allocations. Please talk about the motion. Continue, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: Madam Speaker, the matter of Mr Berry's staffing is directly related to this matter.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, I have directed you to talk about the motion in front of us, which - and I will read it to you if you want me to - relates specifically to standing orders. Would you continue, please.
MR HUMPHRIES: Madam Speaker, with great respect, I consider that this matter is related directly to Mr Berry's staffing entitlements, and I believe that it is essential for me to be able to refer to that in the course of this debate. There is nothing more to say about this matter if I cannot refer to that.
MADAM SPEAKER: You may refer to it if you refer to it directly and concretely in relation to the motion that is in front of us. You will have to focus your remarks on the motion that is in front of us. Continue, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: Madam Speaker, this motion is all about giving Mr Berry the sense of importance he believes he deserves as a result of having recently been dumped from the ACT Government and now finding himself on the back benches. The motion has been moved to justify the money that has already been put Mr Berry's way by way of additional staffing entitlements. That is the direct reason this motion is before the Assembly today. Mr Berry knows full well that there is absolutely no case for this matter coming forward at this time, other than to justify that matter.
Mr Berry: Well, oppose it. Lie again.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
MR HUMPHRIES: The fact of life is that the ACT Government has been bubbling along with four Ministers for the last three years. In that time, there has been a heavy workload on Ministers; I accept that. I was once one myself and I know that it is difficult being a Minister and that you have a lot of things to do. The Government has identified the need for another person to be sharing that load. That is great, but is it mere coincidence that this particular matter has been dealt with now, suddenly? The need for a fifth person to share this load has suddenly been identified just at the time Mr Wayne Berry happens to have lost his seat in the ministry, just at the time Mr Berry needs to keep an extra staff allocation under his lap so that he can warrant keeping some people he otherwise would not have the chance to keep. Is that what it is all about? I think it is.
Ms Follett: Gosh, you are vindictive! Unbelievable! Your vindictiveness is what it is all about.
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