Page 1704 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 18 May 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Mr Stevenson: When you say that you explained it all, that is poetic licence.
MR BERRY: Hang on. You will get yours in a minute, mister.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Berry, if you are closing the debate, then you can proceed with this discussion. If, however, you are speaking to the amendment, I would have to ask you to speak to the amendment. I want to clarify it.
MR BERRY: Yes, I am closing the debate.
Mr Humphries: People want to speak on the matter, thank you very much.
MADAM SPEAKER: I am asking members on your behalf. If he is closing the debate, I should check whether anybody else wants to speak before Mr Berry closes the debate. That is what I wanted to do. Does anybody else want to speak now?
Mrs Carnell: Yes, please.
MADAM SPEAKER: I call Mrs Carnell.
MR BERRY: Hang on a minute. I was on my feet closing the debate, Madam Speaker.
Mrs Carnell: You were speaking to the amendment.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Berry, the problem is that there is an amendment before us. I believed that you were speaking to the amendment.
MR BERRY: No, I was just closing if off; but I am happy to sit down and let Mrs Carnell spit a bit of fire. It will give me the opportunity to give her a serve as well.
MRS CARNELL (Leader of the Opposition) (5.13): Madam Speaker, I appreciate being given an opportunity to speak. My approach to this is somewhat different from that of some previous speakers. I personally believe that the Chief Minister has every right to move to change the standing orders in any way she sees fit, as anybody else in this Assembly does if they believe that it will improve the workings of this Assembly. I think everyone on this side of the house accepts that principle. We all want an Assembly that works better, that works more efficiently, and that better represents the people. That is what we are here for.
The arguments today have been about timing and, if this is such an important change to the standing orders and is going to improve the workings of the Assembly, why we had not seen these changes before today - five years ago, two years ago, even two months ago. The concern this side of the house has is that this is being moved today to justify the extra salary allocation Mr Berry has got. It in no way goes to achieve that. On the basis that everybody in this house, everybody who reads this debate and everyone who has been listening to this debate accepts that this standing order change in no way makes the extra salary allocation given to Mr Berry okay or justifies it, if we accept that as read - - -
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .