Page 3905 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 9 November 1994
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Mrs Carnell: We are very happy for you to set the timing.
Mr De Domenico: Set the timing. You set your own timing. Come on.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! Mr Humphries was heard in silence.
MR BERRY: They want to choose the time, to suit the community debate, if you like, to bring on their particular items of interest. The Government, for one, stands by their right to do that. It is for those reasons, Madam Speaker, that the Government will be opposing this cunningly inspired, raw political move by the Liberals to bring on this particular Bill. I am not going to go to the issues of substance. That is not necessary in the context of this debate. This is merely a move by the Liberals to upset the order of debate which was set by the Administration and Procedures Committee last evening in relation to all of the matters which are on the list of private members business. We decided, as a committee, as is the custom, not just here but in many other parliaments as well, and certainly in the Federal Parliament. We intend to see that that custom is adhered to. The Government will be opposing the move by the Liberals.
MS SZUTY (10.48): I believe that it would indeed be a sad day for this Assembly if we suspended standing orders to bring on a private members Bill against the will of that private member. On only one occasion that I recall was a private members Bill brought on for debate, following its introduction, against the will of the proposer of the Bill. That circumstance occurred when Mr De Domenico tabled a private members Bill - the Occupational Health and Safety (Repeal) Bill of 1993 - on a matter which had been substantially and comprehensively concluded some months before. This was in relation to the numbers of people in designated work groups. This is an entirely different matter.
The Crimes (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) of 1994, proposing the removal of the relevant provisions of the Crimes Act which relate to abortion, was introduced by Mr Berry in his capacity as a private member on 24 August this year. It is my understanding, as Mr Berry has indicated to this Assembly today, that he does not want his private members Bill brought on for debate today, and in my opinion we ought not to be considering whether or not we should debate it. As the initiator of the Bill, Mr Berry has every right to decide when and whether it should be considered by this Assembly, as every other member of the Assembly enjoys the same rights. I trust that commonsense will prevail and that the majority of members of this Assembly will not support this motion for the suspension of standing orders against Mr Berry's will.
I understand that the support of several Government members will be needed for this motion to succeed. It will certainly not be getting my support, nor, I believe, Mr Moore's or Mr Stevenson's.
Mr De Domenico: Why do you not be consistent and support it, like you did last time?
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
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