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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 6 Hansard (13 June) . . Page.. 1589 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: In respect of that interjection by Mr Hargreaves, it was blatantly apparent to me, as a witness before the committee, that there were dissenting views, even at that stage of that process; and if members of the majority did not concede that a dissenting report might become available, they were naive indeed. Insufficient time was provided to provide a dissenting report. Mr Speaker, it is the entitlement of a member of an Assembly committee to be able to incorporate such a dissenting report.

Mr Hird and Mrs Burke have come to this place today and have asked for the right to have their document tabled in this place. It is rare indeed under any circumstances for this Assembly to deny a member the right to table a document in this place.

Mr Berry: Well we have not seen it yet.

MR HUMPHRIES: You do not generally see a document before it is tabled, Mr Berry, in case you had not noticed. As a rule, people do not see documents until they are tabled.

Mr Berry: I will get to speak in a moment, perhaps.

MR HUMPHRIES: Well, take that chance but please let me speak during the time allocated to me, Mr Berry. The fact is, Mr Speaker, that there is a dissenting report to this estimates report and it should be on the table. The members have said that they were not given time to do that. Mr Speaker, members will have ample opportunity to debate this dissenting report as they will the substantive majority report which has been presented in this place today by Mr Quinlan.

I have to say, Mr Speaker, that the approach that has been taken today to prevent other views from coming forward on the Estimates Committee is typical of what is taking place with our committee system at the present time. We have seen a subjugation of the openness of our committee system occur systematically over the last few years with the result that the value of our committee system is declining precipitantly.

Mr Wood: Have a look at yourself.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Wood, in case you had not noticed, in the last six years we have not had the majority on any of the committees in this place. If you have a look at the quality of the reports which are coming forward, you will see that.

Mr Wood: You are never at fault, are you?

Mr Hargreaves: You are still trying to undermine it.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, if I am permitted to do so later today, despite the efforts of those who loudly interject to prevent other views from being put in this place, I will make some very serious comments about the quality of committee reports we have received in this place over the last six years.

The fact that members opposite are unwilling to see a report produced as a result of evidence heard by two other members of the Estimates Committee speaks volumes about those who will vote against this document being tabled today in this place. Mr Speaker, it is the entitlement of the Assembly to see all documents, even if they were produced by

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