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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-23 Daily Xml
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PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:38): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government a question relating to prorogation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Whilst the leader has indicated that the government intends that the council will sit next week, the leader has indicated that the council may not sit every day next week. Therefore, today is the last scheduled sitting Wednesday of the 2011 parliamentary year, potentially the last day for private members of this council to progress their business.

Rumours have persisted since midyear that the government may prorogue the parliament. The average length of a parliamentary session since 1970 is nine months. No session since 1970 has gone longer than 15 months. The current session has lasted almost 19 months. Given that by February the current session would have lasted 21 months, the risk and timing of the prorogation is unsettling for members trying to schedule private members' business. My question to the minister is—

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The council is noting the disregard of the Leader of the Government for private members' business. I would suggest to the Leader of the Government that respect for private members' business—

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Wade should refrain from opinion in his question and should get to the question, and members of the government should sit there and listen to the question.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: My question is: will the Leader of the Government provide an undertaking to this council that the council will not be ambushed by prorogation, in that members will have notice of prorogation at least a week before the last sitting Wednesday of that session?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:39): I thank the honourable member for his most important question and his concerns about the work that comes from private members' business. I have been advised that, at this point in time, the government has not made a decision about the proroguing of this session. That is the information I have been given so I put that on the record. Once the government has made up its mind and considered all relevant matters, I am sure that it will advise all members as soon as possible.

I have indicated in correspondence that we will be utilising the optional sitting week in this place and I have given members notice about that. When asked about whether there would be private members' business on the Wednesday, I have indicated that that really is a matter for the members of this place to decide rather than me, as leader. If members are indicating that they believe that there is enough private members' business to warrant a private members' sitting session on Wednesday, I have indicated to the Government Whip and the Opposition Whip that I am more than happy to be advised by members of this place and to make that time available during the usual private members' business time next week.

I have been very open and transparent about that and communicated that to honourable members well in advance of today's private members' business so that members would know in advance whether this was, in fact, their last private members' business session or not. I think I have dealt very fairly in relation to this and I have been open-handed. I am waiting to be advised by members as to whether they have deemed that they require an additional private members' sitting time or not. No-one has got back to me as yet so I am waiting for them to advise me. I am happy to be advised.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hood has a supplementary.

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