Parliamentary Committees

Select Committee on the Effectiveness of the Current System of Parliamentary Committees

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:18): I move:

That the standing orders be so far suspended as to enable me to move a motion without notice concerning the attendance of the member for Florey before the Select Committee on the Effectiveness of the Current System of Parliamentary Committees.

An absolute majority of the whole number of members being present:

Motion carried.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: I move:

That a message be sent to the House of Assembly requesting that the member for Florey, Ms F.E. Bedford, be permitted to attend and give evidence before the Select Committee of the Legislative Council on the Effectiveness of the Current System of Parliamentary Committees.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:19): I am happy to, as best as I can understand it, agree to the motion, but I think it would assist, as Leader of the Government in the council, that if something is going to be moved as a suspension of standing orders that the leader—and I am not sure if other members were aware of the motion—is made aware of the motion. We had a meeting Monday afternoon to look at business this week and the issue was not raised with me then. I apologise if the member's officers raised it with a member of my staff but certainly no member of staff has advised me of the particular motion and the reasons for the motion.

I do not wish to be difficult in relation to this so I am happy, as best I can understand the honourable member's motion, to allow it. I assume the member for Florey is wanting to present at a particular committee. I know she has asked urgently to meet with me this afternoon but I have not had a chance to discuss it. I am not sure what it is about; whether it is about this issue or something else, but I am about to meet with her on an unknown issue that she has asked to meet with me on.

I just think it is a matter of process. It would be useful if members are going to seek the suspension of standing orders that other representative parties and certainly I, as Leader of the Government in the council, are at least made aware of it. Generally, we are very amenable in trying to assist the process. As I said, I do not wish to stand in the way of this. I have seen from the member's nod that she has indicated that the member for Florey is a willing partner in this.

The Hon. C. Bonaros interjecting:

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: The Hon. Ms Bonaros has just indicated by way of interjection that she is supportive of this. I am not sure who the members of the committee are. Who is the government member on the committee? It is the President and myself. Mr President, you are the other member. It is even more interesting that I am a member of the committee and the President is the other member of the committee and I am certainly not aware of it. If that is the particular committee and the member for Florey wants to come along and present evidence to it and it requires this particular motion, I am happy to support it. However, just in terms of the smooth operation of the parliament it would be useful to advise members of the need to suspend standing orders so that we can all be aware of what we are voting for.

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:22): Just by way of assistance can I explain that I should have given notice of this yesterday and it was an oversight on my part in terms of not giving notice. At the last meeting which the Leader of the Government was an apology for, a resolution was moved to have a motion put before the parliament for the member for Florey to attend before the committee. I should have given notice of that yesterday. I inadvertently forgot to do so yesterday and so to rectify the error of yesterday I move this motion today. However, I completely take the Leader of the Government's point that I should have—and will in future—ensure that the government, the Leader of the Opposition and the crossbench are made aware if there is to be a suspension of standing orders.

Motion carried.