PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE

Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (14:43): My question is to the Leader of the House. Can the Leader of the House advise whether he has sought to assist the opposition in its ambition for an urgent debate on the establishment of a privileges committee?

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy) (14:43): I point out the interjection: 'Just want to bury it today'. That was the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition.

The SPEAKER: Point of order. The member for Davenport.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: The matter of a privileges committee is currently before the house and therefore cannot be subject to a matter of debate during question time.

The SPEAKER: I do not uphold that point of order, because it is not about the substance of the privilege committee: it is about the issue.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: It is not surprising that that point of order was taken by the member for Davenport because, of course, let's focus on what the member for Davenport has been whacking on about all day: his passionate belief that people in this place should say what they mean and mean what they say. I have to say that I was impressed on Tuesday by the passionate cause pursued by the member for Davenport when he told this house—and I will quote some of those things because he has been doing a lot of quoting about what people say in this house and why they say it. He said:

It is important that standing orders be suspended so that this committee can be established as early as possible so that the truth can be established as early as possible.

He did not say it once—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: We have got plenty of time and the member for Davenport is going to hear everything he said. He goes on, for the second time:

We need to suspend standing orders so we can debate this motion today so that the parliament and public can get to the truth—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Yell all you like. You are going to hear it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. I.F. Evans: This is going to be 24 minutes of good footage.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Yes, I think it will be. That is why you are yelling.

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Madam Speaker, can I have some protection? I merely want to repeat his words.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Can I undertake, for the member for Davenport, that I am only going to say his words.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: 'We're too gutless to debate it', but we will come to that in a moment. I go on. He said:

—so that the parliament and public can get to the truth of the matter as soon as possible.

He is passionate about it. He said:

...therefore, that if the parliament is going to deal with this issue, we should deal with it at the earliest possible time.

That is the third time he said it. Then there is a fourth time. He said:

It is in the parliament's interest that this be cleaned up at the earliest possible time.

The fifth time:

The parliament, unless we suspend standing orders today and establish a privileges committee (and the intention of the standing order is to allow the debate about establishing it), how does a parliament establish the truth at the earliest possible time?

Are members getting the picture? It has to be done at the earliest possible time. Then we have the sixth time.

The Hon. I.F. Evans: I was up yesterday for a debate and you didn't offer it. Do you think the media is really going to fall for this?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I am just going to use your words. Can I say he did not say, 'This has to be debated on Tuesday.' Can I stress, he said, 'At the earliest possible time'. For the sixth time—

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Why didn't you offer it Wednesday? Why not?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: It's hurting, isn't it? For the sixth time:

It is in the cabinet's interest and, indeed, all the caucus interest, to have this matter cleaned up at the earliest possible time.

And, for the seventh time, he said:

Parliament should deal with this at the earliest possible time.

That was seven times. He did not say we should deal with it on Tuesday, he did not say Wednesday and he did not say Thursday. He said, 'The earliest possible time'.

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Of course, my point at the time was it would have been, Madam Speaker, to subvert your ruling, for him to have got his way to suspend standing orders, even though I had sympathy for him. I actually had some keen interest in debating it on Tuesday: I thought it was a great time for it, but we cannot have them subvert standing orders.

However, I am a very decent chap and I noticed that the member for Davenport, in pursuit of this privileges committee, had listed it as a private members' motion on 22 July and I thought, 'I can't subvert standing orders but I can help him out in that seven-times-stated ambition to get it done at the earliest possible time,' so I saw the Opposition Whip at the start of private members' time today and said, 'We as a government have been swayed by your passion and are happy to bring this ahead from 22 July to today.' I thought that was the earliest possible time consistent with the standing orders. I got an answer two hours later that my kind offer was not accepted.

Let us be honest. It is not about getting it debated at the earliest possible time: it is about when is the best time for a floor show.

Mr GARDNER: I have a point of order.

The SPEAKER: Order! There is a point of order. Member for Morialta.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Unley; I'm on my feet!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I am sure the Minister for Transport does not want to be heard in complete silence today, but there seems to be a lot of testosterone around this afternoon. I am glad it is the end of the week. Point of order, the member for Morialta.

Mr GARDNER: The minister is clearly breaching 127 by imputing improper motive.

The SPEAKER: No; I don't quite uphold that point of order, but the Minister for Transport will wind up.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I will wind up, but let me say, Madam Speaker, I offered it today, not because I was trying to hide the debate, but because I was absolutely certain they wouldn't take the offer. I was absolutely certain these frauds would not take the offer. But don't talk to us about coming into this place—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr GARDNER: Point of order: I hate to break the minister in mid-stride, but 122—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I'm sorry; I can't hear a word you are saying.

Mr GARDNER: I hate to break the minister in mid-stride, but 122: clearly improper words.

The SPEAKER: Improper words? I think it is a matter of interpretation. I'm sure from your side you see it that way.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! He is going to finish very quickly.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I will finish if I can just be heard for a moment. I just make the point—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —Madam Speaker that, if you were going to examine the mote in your neighbour's eye in regard to not saying what you should say in this place, perhaps the member for Davenport should have some regard to the beam in his own.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I'm glad the school children have left.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Have you calmed down, now? The deputy leader.