Page 1695 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 18 May 1994
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There is a course of action that is quite appropriate, and this has been done with all other amendments of this kind that have been put forward. It should be referred to the Administration and Procedures Committee for proper consideration and report back to this Assembly.
Mr Berry: Ask the Whip. He was at the Administration and Procedures Committee when we were talking about it.
MR KAINE: I do not know what happened in the Administration and Procedures Committee. I do know that this is before me as a motion now, and I do say that, if the Government really wants something like this to be incorporated into our standing orders, they should go through the proper processes. I would seek a ruling from you, Madam Speaker, as to whether it is appropriate for this matter to be considered in this way - whether it can be done only by a Minister, now that the motion is on the table; there might be one responsible Minister in the house who is prepared to take the issue on board - or whether the matter should be referred to the Administration and Procedures Committee for proper consideration. I do not believe that we can consider it properly here. It has already been demonstrated that it is becoming a highly emotionally charged debate. Some of us feel that the Government is trying to put over a fast one - - -
Mr Lamont: Only because your mate ratted.
MR KAINE: I do not know what you are talking about, Minister. I am speaking for myself as a member of this Assembly, and I believe that as a member of this place I am entitled to express a very strong view about what I think is proper and what is not proper when it comes to amending our standing orders. I do not think this is acceptable. I cannot support it, and, quite frankly, I am amazed that the Independents accept this as being something trivial. It establishes a precedent for the way in which our standing orders can be changed and it establishes a precedent for the way in which our standing orders can be manipulated to suit certain individuals who are members of this place.
I do not think that either of those arguments is legitimate, and I ask Mr Moore and Ms Szuty to think very carefully about whether they want to establish this precedent on both of those counts. If they do, they demean this place and they subordinate the standing orders of this place to the whims of the Chief Minister and Mr Berry. Next week it might be two other people, and it will not always be members of the Government. There will be people in the future, I have no doubt, who, like Mr Berry and the Chief Minister today, want to subvert the standing orders of this place in their own interests. If we establish the precedent today, we will have no argument against it in the future. This place is in its infancy. Our standing orders need better consideration than this, and for that reason I will oppose it. I ask the reasonable people in this place to accept that argument and do the right thing. Let us have it moved to the Administration and Procedures Committee for proper consideration, comprehensive debate, and a full report back to this place, having regard for all the aspects of the matter. It is not trivial at all. I reject that proposition, and I would seek careful consideration of it.
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