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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-02-28 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:06): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Madam Speaker, on 1 November, in my first statement to the house in my capacity as Premier, I stated that our conduct in this place contributes to the poor perception that people have of us. The community expects more of us as members of parliament. They hope that we will come to this place to debate ideas and things that matter to them, and they are entitled to expect that of us. I doubt that that there is anyone who believes that, in our last week in this place, we lived up to those expectations. Therefore, today I foreshadow two changes to the procedures in this house. The government will move, at the commencement of parliament tomorrow morning, for these changes to be adopted as sessional orders and, if adopted, will seek that they be reviewed by the Standing Orders Committee during the winter break.

First, I propose that answers to questions without notice be limited to four minutes. This limit will apply in respect of answers both to government and opposition questions. Madam Speaker, under this proposed provision, you will have the discretion to extend that time if the minister is interrupted. This provision recognises that one of the matters that causes concern to the opposition is the length of time taken to answer questions. Time limits such as this—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will be heard in silence.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Time limits such as this have been adopted by a number of parliaments in Australia; introducing them here should reduce the unrest of those opposite.

Second, and to more directly address poor conduct, we will introduce an order giving you, Madam Speaker, the power to immediately exclude disorderly members from the house for up to one hour. The direction would not be open to debate or dissent. The direction would not, however, exclude the member from participating in a division. This, too, is a provision the nature of which has been introduced elsewhere.

During the last week of parliament, the member for Fisher gave notice of motion to introduce a similar provision into standing orders. He is a former Speaker in this place and has no doubt watched our conduct with some despair. We ought to take seriously his concern about these matters and his proposals for improvement.

The new provision will enable you, Madam Speaker, to better maintain discipline in this place by giving you an alternative to suspension. Suspension has serious consequences for the member concerned and for his or her party; it is a punishment and, because of its serious consequences, it is itself cumbersome and disruptive. The proposed provision is aimed at restoring order and defusing a situation speedily before it deteriorates—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —rather than punishing the disorderly member.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Deputy Leader of the Opposition, be quiet.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I should make clear that, under this proposal, it would be open to you, Madam Speaker, to consider that frivolous points of order, clearly designed to interrupt the conduct of proceedings, may constitute disorderly conduct.

Finally, I seek to return to another matter I spoke of last November so that no-one is under any illusion. Serious questions which are seeking information should be answered seriously by ministers in this government; that may require context. The answer may not be the answer those opposite seek, but it should be an answer that responds to the substance of the question. However, questions designed not to elicit a serious response but which were asked for mere political pointscoring, will be given the treatment they deserve, and those opposite should not be heard to complain in those circumstances.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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