Houses & Motions: December 2006

Sunday, December 31, 2006

Sunday's best?

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: [...] I live with a greater degree of deregulation with my nearby shopping centres and small retailers. It is very popular, whether I like it or not. People go to the shopping centres in droves on Sundays. It is not just people from Rockingham; everyone from the metropolitan area comes down to shop at Rockingham on Sundays.

Mr R.F. Johnson: I don’t.

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: The member knows the rules relating to him: we will not let him come down! Is not a question of “I don’t”; it is “we will not let him”!

Subject: Retail Shops and Fair Trading Legislation Amendment Bill 2003 [Legislative Assembly - Consideration in Detail]

Date: 27 November 2003

Hansard reference: pp. 13830b - 13839a [online (pdf)]

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Adjournment of a thousand miles...

Hon B.K. DONALDSON: [...] Hon George Cash is one of the most multiskilled members of this Parliament. In the four years that Hon George Cash occupied the Chair that you now occupy, Mr President, he was fettered in making comments, and I noted the other day his excitement at the freedom that he now enjoys. Hon George Cash is an excellent debater and a very intelligent person, and his contribution to this House will be of great value.

Hon N.D. Griffiths: Did he write this speech?

Hon B.K. DONALDSON: No. I also congratulate the ministers: Hon Kim Chance, the Leader of the House; Hon Tom Stephens; and my very good friend Hon Nick Griffiths.

Hon N.D. Griffiths: You can now read the part that I wrote!

Hon B.K. DONALDSON: I thank Hon Nick Griffiths for his contribution now that I have had another quick look at it.
[...]
I hope that the new members on both sides of the House have an enjoyable experience in this House. They will learn that there may be a division down the middle of the Chamber, but generally they will have a most enjoyable time in this place, as most of us get on well together. There has been some good debate in this House over time. People often ask me how we can have a worthwhile debate at three o’clock or four o’clock in the morning.

Hon N.F. Moore: With some difficulty.

Hon B.K. DONALDSON: With great difficulty. However, I remember some good debates at that time of the morning when members got their second wind in this place. I used to get annoyed when the House was wound up just before 6.00 am and we missed out on breakfast. The worst aspect of that was that most members got sucked in to stay until breakfast. I remember the first time that we sat all night when Hon George Cash told us there would be no charge for breakfast. That was not the case and we got the bill. I remember there being no marmalade for Hon Max Evans; therefore, he brought his own jar of marmalade into the House because he loved marmalade on his toast.

Hon N.D. Griffiths: You have spoken about Hon George Cash. Do you remember the occasion when he commenced the adjournment debate and then concluded it by saying, “I move that the House do not adjourn”?

Hon B.K. DONALDSON: Yes, these were very enjoyable times. I hope the new members who came into this place after the last election can enjoy the experiences that we have had. There will be some unpleasant times but that is the nature of the beast.

Subject: Address-in-Reply [Legislative Council - Motion]

Date: 28 June 2001

Hansard reference: pp. 1530 - 1531 [online (pdf): p. 1530 / p. 1531]

Friday, December 29, 2006

Froggy Highway

Mr M. McGOWAN: He points out in the report that there would be a dramatic impact on fauna and flora along the route of the canal, a dramatic impact on surface hydrology, movement of fauna across the region in the area of the canal, an impact upon national parks and A-class nature reserves along the route of the canal, and a potential impact on the Ramsar Convention’s list of wetlands. In addition, 33 000 hectares of land would be cleared to build the canal. Of course, as the water was transported along the route, 200 gigalitres of water would be lost that this state -

Mr P.D. Omodei interjected.

The SPEAKER: I call the Leader of the Opposition to order.

Mr P.D. Omodei interjected.

The SPEAKER: I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the second time.

Mr M. McGOWAN: We would lose 200 gigalitres of water along the route every year, which this state can ill afford to lose, and it would be environmentally disastrous. It gets worse. This report directly refers to the canal being an opportunity for what it terms dangerous biota to move along its length. Dangerous biota is basically cane toads.

Several members interjected.

Mr C.J. Barnett: Cane toads coming down the canal! Cane toads in swimmers surfing along the canal!

Mr M. McGOWAN: The member for Cottesloe thinks he is not only C.Y. O’Connor, but also Ferdinand de Lesseps. Now he thinks he is David Suzuki. He knows everything about engineering and the environment. The member for Cottesloe knows everything about these things. There is a prospect that cane toads will come from the north of the state into backyards and the wilderness areas and wetlands of the southern part of this state under this proposal.

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Cottesloe to order again and the member for Roe.

Mr M. McGOWAN: This report refers directly to that prospect. Anyone who has seen cane toads will understand that they are an ecological disaster. We do not need a cane toad autobahn transporting them from the north to the south of the state. This canal would be a river of ecological ruin. Fortunately, the people of the state recognised that at the last state election when they gave us a thumping victory.

Subject: Appleyard Report [Legislative Assembly - Questions Without Notice]

Date: 3 May 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 2089c - 2090a [online (pdf)]

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Grim tales

HON DERRICK TOMLINSON (East Metropolitan) [3.02 pm]: I am not sure how to characterise this Bill. Bearing in mind that the second reading speech summarises the intent of the Bill, if one reads the minister’s second reading speech and loses sight of the Bill itself, it could be characterised as a “Mary Poppins Bill” - a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way. If one is distracted by the eloquence of the second reading speech and does not pay attention to the contents of the Bill, it might be characterised as an “It will not hurt, did it Bill” because a person does not know what he is getting until after he has had it. It is only when the consequences are examined that the person knows what it is that he had. The third way of characterising this Bill -

The CHAIRMAN: Order, members!

Hon DERRICK TOMLINSON: I apologise to honourable members who are trying to carry on with their conversations. My voice does tend to intrude into their conversations but I shall try to reduce its timbre.

Hon Nick Griffiths: I can assure Hon Derrick Tomlinson that I was listening to his every word. I know that he, like I did, enjoyed the Mary Poppins movie many years ago and a spoonful of sugar does help the medicine go down. There is another long word I could use but I will not say it because I might get it wrong.

Hon DERRICK TOMLINSON: The minister cannot help but listen to what I have to say because the whole world hears what I say. I want to make sure he absorbs what I have to say.

The third way of characterising this Bill is as the “Little Red Riding Hood Bill”.

Hon Nick Griffiths: And you are the big bad wolf.

Hon DERRICK TOMLINSON: No, I am Little Red Riding Hood. Members know what happened to Little Red Riding Hood. On her way to Grandma’s house, with the express warning from her mother to beware of the wolf in the woods, poor Little Red Riding Hood was spied on by the wolf in the woods. Instead of the wolf jumping out and doing what wolves do to little maidens in the wood, he decided to go to Grandma’s house and disguise himself as someone else. He disguised himself as Grandma and decided to impose an intelligence test upon Little Red Riding Hood.

Hon Nick Griffiths: You are the big bad wolf.

Hon DERRICK TOMLINSON: No, I am Little Red Riding Hood. As we all know, the big bad wolf did something to Grandma - stuffed her into the cupboard or under the bed - and then dressed himself in her nightclothes and jumped into her bed. Totally oblivious to this, Little Red Riding Hood came into the house, saw Grandma in bed and said “Oh Grandma, what big eyes you have.” Grandma responded by saying “All the better to see you with, my dear.” Little Red Riding Hood failed the first test. She then said “Oh Grandma, what big ears you have.” Grandma responded “All the better to hear you with, my dear” and Little Red Riding Hood failed the second test. Can members imagine the situation; there is a wolf in the bed with more hair on his face than Hon Frank Hough or Hon Simon O’Brien and Little Red Riding Hood does not even twig that Grandma is a wolf; she must have been the original bimbo. Eventually Little Red Riding Hood said “Oh Grandma, what big teeth you have.” At that stage the wolf jumped out of bed, exposed himself, Little Red Riding Hood screamed, the woodman came in, dispatched the wolf and carried off Little Red Riding Hood. This Bill is a “Little Red Riding Hood Bill”.

Subject: Fire and Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2001 [Legislative Council - Second Reading]

Date: 19 September 2002

Hansard reference: pp. 1253b - 1257a [online (pdf)]

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

I... have no words.

Mr G. WOODHAMS to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Education and Training:
I acknowledge the presence in the house today of students from Nagle Catholic College and Mt Tarcoola Primary School.

It is with some trepidation that I ask this question in bakery parlance, because the person to whom I am about to address my question is more like a mud cake to my matchstick presence.

Several members interjected.

Mr G. WOODHAMS: It should be a process of self-identification, Mr Speaker. No-one knows who I am talking about yet. My question without notice is to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Education and Training. Given small business concerns, particularly in the mid-west, about shortening the length of apprenticeships from four to two years and the subsequent drain of trainees to the mining industry and other parts of the state as a result of the resources boom, I ask -

(1) Is the minister aware that Geraldton’s biggest employer of engineer apprentices, D-Trans Motor Body Builders and General Engineers, now refuses to hire new apprentices because it is not receiving a long-term return from its investment?

(2) Will the minister consider a bonding program to ensure that businesses do not lose apprentices after underwriting their training?

(3) What other initiatives does the minister propose to help small businesses retain trained apprentices in the mid-west?

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH replied:

(1)-(3) The mud cake has arrived.

Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan: You are so tasty!

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: Even I am turning red.

Subject: Apprentices - Retention by Employers [Legislative Assembly]

Date: 31 May 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 3342b-3343a [online (pdf)]

Would you like that straight up, or with tonic?

Mr C.J. Barnett: Where is the Speaker?

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: I am sure the Acting Speaker has the same serious concerns as I do about the damage that cannabis does to children. I know that the member for Joondalup, the Acting Speaker, has children, and in the not-too-distant future he will probably have grandchildren.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr A.P. O’Gorman): I hope not.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Of course you will, Mr Acting Speaker. The not-too-distant future could be five or 10 years; that is not a long time. This is the problem and this is why we on this side of the House do not agree with the suspension of standing orders just so the Leader of the House can guillotine this Bill and go home. I wonder whether the Leader of the House has instructions from the Premier to guillotine this Bill because he does not want to be up all night. He had a lovely kip last night with teddy, and he does not want to be in the Chamber tonight; he wants to be home with teddy again.

The ACTING SPEAKER: Member for Hillarys!

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: That is what I reckon. I am giving the reason that I am opposed to the suspension of standing orders. That is my view. We have had a slight glimpse of the Premier. It looked like the Premier. I think it was the Premier.

Mr P.G. Pendal: We are very worried about teddy. Who is teddy?

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: I want to know what teddy’s name is. I think the Premier is one of those people who would have a teddy. I wonder whether this debate will also be gagged. The Leader of the House is a compulsive gagger, because he has gagged debate all night long. So far he has gagged every clause apart from one. We did not take long to deal with that clause and we dealt with it quite legitimately. We felt that that clause should be passed fairly quickly and we scrutinised it very carefully.

Mr P.G. Pendal: He should have been given a GIN.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: What is that?

Mr P.G. Pendal: A gaggers infringement notice.

Subject: Cannabis Control Bill 2003 [Legislative Assembly - Consideration in Detail]

Date: 16 April 2003

Hansard reference: pp. 6848b-6932a [online (pdf)]

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Through a long and sleepless night

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Once again, this is why I am saying that we should suspend standing orders now. I moved the motion because the Leader of the House wants to debate it at some time in the future - tomorrow. We do not have a clue for how long we will sit tomorrow. We do not know for how long we still sit this evening. We did not know for how long we would sit last evening. I got to bed this morning at twenty to four. My little teddy bear was getting very lonely!

Mr R.C. Kucera: Obviously you didn’t get your beauty sleep.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: I did not. The member for Yokine has missed his for years, by the looks of it.

The SPEAKER: Now, now!

Subject: Standing Orders Suspension [Legislative Assembly - Business of the House - Motion]

Date: 6 April 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 423b - 428a [online (pdf)]

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Festive message

THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling): I thank members for their contribution to the adjournment debate. I now get the opportunity as Speaker to speak in an unusual set of surroundings. I never thought I would be standing here on the last day of any Parliament speaking to a red chamber rather than the more traditional blue chamber. I thank the Council for allowing us to use this chamber. No doubt we will use it again when we return in February; hopefully, for only one week’s sitting.

[...] I hope that I do not have anxious nights in January worrying about whether the deadline will be met. Members should not worry about it; but I should and I will. If it does not work out it is only a short-term issue; whatever problems arise will be fixed in about 80 years!

[...]

I thank everyone and I wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. If we all drink in moderation, we will all return safe and healthy. I am sure those are the thoughts of everyone. I thank both sides of the chamber for their support during the year. Some members have been a little noisier than others, but if we have no passion, we might as well not be here. I thank everyone for their efforts and look forward to next year in a brand-new chamber. If there are any scratches on the chairs, we will know who did it! I look forward to the start of the next parliamentary year.

Subject: Adjournment of the House [Legislative Assembly]

Date: 12 December 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 9397c - 9402a [online (pdf)]

Now we're going somewhere

HON KIM CHANCE (Agricultural - Leader of the House) [6.36 pm]: I move -

That the house do adjourn to a time and place of the President’s -

THE PRESIDENT: This is very tempting, Leader of the House; we might be going somewhere exotic.

Hon KIM CHANCE: No. Without notice, I move -

That the house at its rising adjourn until a date and time to be fixed by the President.

Hon Norman Moore: I like the bit about the place!

Hon KIM CHANCE: Acapulco? We will start with As.

The PRESIDENT: I do not want to interrupt the Leader of the House, but I hope he is successful in getting the appropriate appropriations so that we can give that consideration!

Hon KIM CHANCE: I have already made a small start on that, Mr President, to be fair!

The PRESIDENT: Please commence your promise!

Hon KIM CHANCE: Thank you, Mr President.

Subject: Adjournment of the House [Legislative Council - Special]

Date: 7 December 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 9343c - 9350a [online (pdf)]

Saturday, December 23, 2006

You and I, Cutiepie

Mr P.B. Watson: They know. You went to Albany and said that deregulation was inevitable.

Mr C.J. BARNETT: No, I did not.

Mr P.B. Watson: Yes, you did.

Mr C.J. BARNETT: No, I did not; I know exactly what I said. As the member and I are engaging in debate, why do we not go to Albany in the next couple of months and publicly debate trading hours?

Mr P.B. Watson: No worries.

Mr C.J. BARNETT: It is a date. Can the member for Bunbury and I do it in Bunbury? Let us go to Bunbury and debate trading hours. Is the member willing to do that? Come on, we can debate trading hours.

Mr A.J. Dean: As long as Geoff Prosser and Dan Sullivan are there.

Mr C.J. BARNETT: No, just the member and I.

Mr A.J. Dean: Do you know that the man most likely to win out of deregulation is Geoff Prosser, your number one Liberal in Western Australia?

Mr C.J. BARNETT: Just the member and I. Come on cutie-pie; we can debate trading hours in the member’s electorate of Bunbury.

Subject: Stamp Amendment (Budget) Bill 2003 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 10 June 2003

Hansard reference: pp. 8479b - 8500a [online (pdf)]

I'm trying to picture it...

Hon NORMAN MOORE: [...] They did not have the nerve - that is what it came down to - but I was prepared to do what had to be done in Western Australia. It demonstrated for all to see that the vast majority of students on every campus in Western Australia did not want to be a member of the guild and they did not join the guild.

Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich interjected.

Hon NORMAN MOORE: They did not join and they did not use the facilities either.

Hon Graham Giffard: Yes, they did.

Hon NORMAN MOORE: They used the facilities that were being run by the guild as commercial activities. They went to the tavern, for example, where 17-year-olds were taught how to drink.

Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Oh!

Hon NORMAN MOORE: Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich should not give me that nonsense. She should visit the tav one day and see what goes on there. She will get some idea of the wonderful things that are happening to people at the University of Western Australia!

Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: I used to work in the tav.

Hon NORMAN MOORE: I hope she did not teach some of the young people the things that I know about.

Subject: Acts Amendment (Student Guilds and Associations) Bill 2002 [Legislative Council - Second Reading]

Date: 18 December 2002

Hansard reference: pp. 4468b - 4483a [online (pdf)]

Sands of time

MS K. HODSON-THOMAS (Carine) [4.18 pm]: I was hoping to receive the call in time to acknowledge my son who was in the public gallery; however, he has left.

Mr C.J. Barnett: He is off to the beach; that is what daylight saving is about!

Ms K. HODSON-THOMAS: Yes, he is off to the beach.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am sorry, member for Carine; you were beaten on the voices. I am sure he is here in spirit.

Mr C.J. Barnett: He will be back for dinner in an hour.

Ms K. HODSON-THOMAS: He is lucky if his mother prepares him a home-cooked meal, because she is never quite sure when he will be home!

Subject: Daylight Saving Bill (no. 2) 2006 [Legislative Assembly - Standing Orders Suspension - Motion]

Date: 31 October 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 7886b - 7952a [online (pdf)]

Sure of the dead

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: As the minister is obviously aware, that is a recent Act. What was in the mind of the minister when she brought that Bill into Parliament concerning leaving a child unsupervised? Was there a specific time frame? Did it concern leaving a child unsupervised when a parent popped into a neighbour’s house to check on something or when she went to pick up another child? It is a bit of a job getting a baby in and out of a baby seat in a car.

Mr P.G. Pendal: That is the same as murder; you have been told that because that is what is in the schedule.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Exactly, but it cannot be the same as murder.

Mr P.G. Pendal: One would not think so.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Murder is pretty definite.

Mr P.G. Pendal: It is a bit.

Subject: Working With Children (Criminal Record Checking) Bill 2004 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 26 October 2004

Hansard reference: pp. 7273i - 7309a [online (pdf)]

Friday, December 22, 2006

Farewell to a free speech...

THE PRESIDENT (Hon J.A. Cowdell): Normally on a Thursday we would proceed to the consideration of committee reports, but we do not have any reports for consideration. Before we proceed to orders of the day I have a commercial. I have been advised that all Council proceedings are now videotaped and that members may order a copy of their speeches at a cost of $22 each, or a copy of Hon Peter Foss’s speech if they did not get the point earlier in the day.

Hon Derrick Tomlinson: For $66.

The PRESIDENT: I inform members of that excellent service that is now available.

Subject: Videotaping of Proceedings [Legislative Council - Statement by President]

Date: 21 June 2001

Hansard reference: pp. 1285 [online (pdf)]

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

The yeast of their worries?

HON PAUL LLEWELLYN (South West) [3.50 pm]: [...] Even in this wealthy economy we have a very small amount of capital to invest in infrastructure and we end up with the Vegemite plan; that is, to invest thinly across all sectors. Every now and then there is a patch of thick Vegemite and it does not taste very nice. That is the model we are using - the Vegemite model of regional planning and asset investment.

Hon Murray Criddle interjected.

Hon PAUL LLEWELLYN: I like Vegemite. In fact, I have Vegemite and jam but I do not want to go into that because I know we have a very short -

Several members interjected.

Hon PAUL LLEWELLYN: Vegemite and marmalade is the best thing. Sick, sick, sick! Time is short and I would like to put forward an amendment to the motion that synthesises the intention of both government and opposition to move forward. I will do that in a minute. Of course, I would have liked 45 minutes to expand -

Hon Robyn McSweeney: No!

Subject: Infrastructure and Development in Rural and Regional Western Australia [Legislative Council - Motion]

Date: 30 August 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 5389c - 5406a [online (pdf)]

Not caned but able

Hon FRANK HOUGH: [...] A perpetrator does not wake up one morning and say “I am going to be a thief because I need the money”. Most perpetrators have probably come through school having nicked things. If I got out earlier enough I used to go through everyone’s school bags at lunchtime because mum would give me only vegemite sandwiches. If someone had ham and cheese sandwiches I used to grab them and replace them with my vegemite sandwiches. I am a justice of the peace. I do not even have a traffic charge recorded against my name. I do not have a criminal record. I thought I would tell members that.

Several members interjected.

Hon FRANK HOUGH: If I have to do time for that vegemite sandwich, so be it! If I am sent forth to get one lash of the cane for what I did at school, I am prepared to accept it.

Hon John Fischer: I believe the President of the Parliament probably has the power to act on that!

The PRESIDENT: Order! I am sure we have a committee to deal with such a matter.

Subject: Convicted Offenders, Corporal Punishment [Legislative Council - Motion]

Date: 11 June 2003

Hansard reference: pp. 8558b - 8563a [online (pdf)]

Definitely the right room for an argument

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: [...] It is a shame that the Government has not done more for tourism in Western Australia, particularly for those people who are suffering. I have just returned from the south west -

Ms A.J. MacTiernan: Minister for Tourism, what did the ratings ever do for us?

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Is the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure suggesting that the Minister for Tourism is Monty Python?

Ms A.J. MacTiernan: I am not suggesting that the minister is.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: I thought perhaps the minister was. It was rude of the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure to refer to her colleague like that.

The SPEAKER: Members, I do not wish to order a stoning!

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Absolutely! Mr Speaker, will you please protect me from the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure?

Subject: Western Australian Tourism Commission Amendment Bill 2003 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 18 June 2003

Hansard reference: pp. 8877c - 8884a [online (pdf)]

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Happier days?

Ah, a reshuffle in time for Christmas. Cheers Ljiljanna, honours would be on the way but apparently the OBE's got a bit lost...

Hon NORMAN MOORE: [...] I find it interesting that the Labor Party, which I suspect has more positions on this matter than the Kamasutra -

Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: How would you know? Have you read the Kamasutra?

Hon NORMAN MOORE: I have and I am familiar with the lot of them!

The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us not get distracted.

Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: You just don’t look like that sort of bloke.

Hon Peter Foss interjected.

The PRESIDENT: Order! If the honourable minister and Hon Peter Foss wish to discuss this matter further, they can do so without the Leader of the Opposition.

Hon NORMAN MOORE: Is it not extraordinary the things that excite the Minister for Local Government! Just the mention of the Kamasutra made her almost jump out of her chair. That might be number 459!

Subject: Retail Trading Hours Amendment (Referendums) Bill 2004 [Legislative Council - Second Reading]

Date: 23 November 2004

Hansard reference: pp. 8388c - 8395a [online (pdf)]

Putting the mochas on

Mr T. BUSWELL: [...] The Treasurer said that daylight saving will help to make this state more energetic and engaging and a better place for tourists to visit. I accept that may be a valid argument. However, I mulled over that and asked what state in Australia would I regard as an energetic and exciting state from a tourism perspective. The answer is Queensland - the Gold Coast and Cairns.

Ms J.A. Radisich: Victoria.

Mr T. BUSWELL: Victoria is hardly the tourism capital of Australia! I know that for the inner city, latte sipping Labor sorts, a trip to Melbourne -

Mr J.B. D’Orazio: That is what you are.

Mr T. BUSWELL: I come from a regional centre where we grind our way out of the dirt.

Mr J.B. D’Orazio: I saw you sipping latte.

Mr T. BUSWELL: By the bye, I am a flat-white fellow - I cannot pronounce “latte”.

Subject: Daylight Saving Bill (no. 2) 2006 [Legislative Assembly - Standing Orders Suspension - Motion]

Date: 31 October 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 7886b - 7952a [online (pdf)]

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

It was bound to be there...

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: [...] I love it when the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure interjects on me, because it always gives me a second wind. She knows better than to interject on me but she never learns.

Ms A.J. MacTiernan: Yes, but we live in hope that one day you will learn.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: No. One day the minister will learn that she should not let her mouth run ahead of her brain. She should do it the other way round: she should think what she is going to say and then say it; and in many cases perhaps she should not say it. Then we would get through legislation quicker. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is a friend of mine and I like her. I do not like saying these things about her. However, I want to get back to this Bill, because it is important, and I seriously mean that.

Ms A.J. MacTiernan: The only Bill you are interested in is the one on television at 7.30 pm on a Tuesday.

Ms S.M. McHale: At 8.30 pm.

Subject: Children and Community Development Bill 2003 [Legislative Assembly - Consideration in Detail]

Date: 4 March 2004

Hansard reference: pp. 412b - 428a [online (pdf)]

Sunday, December 10, 2006

That's Greenough

DR S.C. THOMAS (Capel) [3.55 pm]: I thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to debate the Premier’s Statement. I, like everybody else, congratulate the member for Willagee on his rise to the top. Actually, I congratulate the member for Geraldton for being appointed to the most important job and the member for Willagee for being appointed to the second most important job. I am sure that the member for Geraldton will gradually move down those benches as time goes by. The member for Greenough referred to Arnold Schwarzenegger. He compared himself to him -

Mr G.A. Woodhams: He is my twin!

Dr S.C. THOMAS: The member for Greenough said that he was not like Arnold Schwarzenegger, so I was wondering whether it meant he will not be back! That was a little aside for the entertainment of the massive crowd here today!

Subject: Premier's Statement [Legislative Assembly - Consideration -- Motion]

Date: 9 March 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 222b - 242a [online (pdf)]

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Hello sailor

MS K. HODSON-THOMAS (Carine) [4.25 pm]: [...] I know that because I can see the area from my hotel room at the Ocean Centre Hotel.

Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan: Are we staying at the same hotel?

Ms K. HODSON-THOMAS: We are indeed, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure. It is a great outlook from there. I must admit that I enjoyed looking out at the port last night and at the twinkling of the starboard and port markers.

Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan: I love it when you talk nautical!

Ms K. HODSON-THOMAS: People know that I have a great affinity with the ocean and for boating, which I love. It is a great leisure activity, and Geraldton is renowned for it. That revitalisation is very important to all in Geraldton. Therefore, I support the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure. I know members on the other side are surprised, because I am not often known to support her, but I have a high regard for the work she does.

I also enjoy the outlook from what is a fantastic tribute initiated by Rotary, the HMAS Sydney memorial. I walked up there with a couple of colleagues this morning; it is a beautiful walk.

Mr J. McGrath: We jogged up!

Ms K. HODSON-THOMAS: No, we did not jog up. I am sure the member for South Perth would not have made the hill!

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Misleading the Parliament - tut-tut!

Subject: Railway Discontinuance Bill (No. 2) 2006 [Legislative Assembly - second reading]

Date: 30 May 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 3189b - 3205a [online (pdf)]

Well, it's possibly more relevant than the Baghdad example

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I am speaking today for a particular reason. The people who have taken the time to e-mail and contact us have gone out of their way. I need to record in this debate the fact that so many people have made the effort to contact us. I want to present these e-mails to the house so that the statistics will be recorded in Hansard forever. As I have said, my office has received more than 5137 e-mails. We have been very careful to ensure that if two e-mails have been sent from the same email address, we delete the second one so that we do not get a figure that is not true and accurate.

Mr B.J. Grylls: Your poor staff!

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: Yes! I was going to get to that. Ailsa, who is in the public gallery, and the other staff members in my office have had an absolute bugger of a week. They have said to me, “No more private members’ bills, please!”

Mr R.F. Johnson: What did you say?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I said, “See you next week!” I want to present these e-mails to the Parliament. I am not sure whether I can table them for those members who want to see them. As I have said, 96 per cent of the e-mails are in favour of daylight saving.

Mr R.F. Johnson: You can seek leave to lay them on the table for the balance of this day’s sitting.

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I do not want them to be taken out of the chamber and made public.

Mr R.F. Johnson: No. If you seek leave to lay them on the table for the balance of this day’s sitting, they cannot be taken out of the chamber.

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: For the record, the e-mails that I am holding up are the ones that we have received in opposition to daylight saving. The two boxes of e-mails are the ones that we have received in support of daylight saving. I say that because I do not want to be accused of not presenting both cases.

Mr R.F. Johnson: Did you print them all off?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: Yes.

Mr R.F. Johnson: What a waste of paper!

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: This is an important issue.

Mr B.J. Grylls: Daylight saving will lead to the loss of old-growth forests!

Subject: Daylight Saving Bill (No. 2) 2006 [Standing Orders Suspension - Motion]

Date: 31 October 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 7886b - 7952a [online (pdf)]

Friday, December 08, 2006

Disorganised religion

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: [...] In Western Australia, people can commit a crime and be fined, but they will not need to pay the fine, and they will not go to prison! That is the new slogan from the Attorney General! I am sure the Attorney will get the criminals’ vote, because anything that will save them money they will vote for.

Mr R.C. Kucera: People in prison do not get a vote.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Not all the criminals are in prison.

Mr R.C. Kucera: No. They are in car parks.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: I would not go down that track if I were the member! The member should not start talking about these things, because he might leave himself wide open! God said: come unto me with clean hands. That is what God would be saying to the member for Yokine.

Mr T.G. Stephens: I do not remember that! Where is that in the scriptures?

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: In other words, the member for Yokine should not make accusations. Unless he is as white as the driven snow -

Mr T.G. Stephens: What section of the scriptures is that from?

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: It is from the “Johnson Bible”. It is saying that we should avoid hypocrisy. The member may not understand the subtlety of the meaning -

Mr T.G. Stephens: I would stick to the authorised version if I were you!

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: I am happy to explain it to the member. My colleague, who I believe was going to go into a monastery at one time -

Mr T.G. Stephens: No. You have got that wrong.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: That is what I heard.

Mr T.G. Stephens: Well, you got it wrong.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: I thought the member was going to be a monk or something.

Mr T.G. Stephens: No. It was something much more profound than that.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: What was the member going to be?

Mr T.G. Stephens: What was I going to be?

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Yes - when the member grows up! What was the member going to be when he grew up?

Mr T.G. Stephens: Sorry. I am missing the question.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: What was the member going to be? The member was going to be something in a religious order.

Mr T.G. Stephens: Was I? You are telling the story. You have got it all wrong.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: That is what I was told.

Mr T.G. Stephens: You have got it all wrong so far. However, this is off the point. You have digressed by your misquoting of the sacred scriptures -

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: No. I am just quoting from the “Johnson Bible”, which says that God said: come unto me with clean hands. The meaning of that is that if we want to lay a complaint against someone, we should make sure we have clean hands ourselves - we might have some tomato ketchup on our hands, or something!

Mr T.G. Stephens: The thing I have learnt about you is that when you have nothing to say, you become desperate for interjections!

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Not at all. I am just having a bit of fun. I have just said that I have virtually completed my remarks. If the member for Yokine had not interjected on me, I probably would have finished by now. The member for Central Kimberly-Pilbara then interjected on me, and I could not resist -

Mr C.J. Barnett: It is nearly Christmas! You can make your Christmas speech now!

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: My Christmas speech will come later!

Subject: Fines Legislation Amendment Bill 2006 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 28 November 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 8857c - 8875a [online (pdf)]

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Applied economics

Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: [...] Employing security staff is an extra cost for show organisers. I have to disagree with my good mate the member for Wagin; there is too much security at the Dowerin Field Day. In that situation, we do not need that level of security. However, if the organisers are expecting 200 people to turn up at the bar, there has to be X number of security. That is an enormous cost. In addition, where will we find that level of security staff? It is a good thing I have run out of voice.

Mr G. Snook: We will have to get the Irish barmaid to check you out.

Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I wish you would. I am still single, so I am allowed to be checked out.

Mr G. Snook: There is a big problem.

Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: It has something to do with supply and demand!

Mr G. Snook: You are getting your ambitions mixed up with your capabilities.

Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Exactly. We will not go down that road and waste 30 seconds of the poor barmaid’s time!

Subject: Liquor and Gaming Legislation Amendment Bill 2006 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 17 October 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 7050b - 7094a [online (pdf)]

Politics, on the edge...

Ms MacTIERNAN: [...] In a number of the cases I brought to this Parliament, the government agencies - that is, the Real Estate and Business Agents Supervisory Board, the Settlement Agents Supervisory Board, the ministry - point blank refused to provide any assistance whatsoever to the elderly people who had been defrauded of every penny they had. Lawyers - even some from the most conservative legal firms in this State - were so horrified by the travesty that had been perpetrated by the failure of the Minister's department and agencies to deal with it, that they acted on a pro bono basis for these clients.

Mr Shave: What do you mean by that?

Ms MacTIERNAN: I will translate it: It means free of charge.

Mr Riebeling: The lead singer with U2!

Subject: Real Estate and Business Agents Amendment Bill [Legislative Council - Second Reading]

Date: 8 April 1998

Hansard reference: p. 1709 [online (pdf)]

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

You know you're going to at least search for him in the contact directory now

Mr A.J. SIMPSON: [...] I also mentioned that people are able to contact me via MSN. The idea behind using MSN was that it was the latest way of getting in touch with people. I can also be contacted by SMS, which is how many kids communicate. It is kind of a shame, because people will probably lose their communication skills by using SMS. The beauty of e-mail and SMS is that one can choose whether to answer a message today or tomorrow. It is not like the phone ringing and having to talk to someone. That is the way kids communicate these days. I thought that if I could provide this service, I might be able to capture more of the youth market as a member of Parliament. It would enable them to talk to me and me to talk to them and hopefully answer their questions. I probably average a dozen messages a week. Some weeks I get a lot and other weeks I get only two or three. I am sometimes asked straightforward questions. One kid asked me the other day about how to get a skate park in his area. [...] After about a 20-minute conversation, this kid knew a lot more about politics, how the system works and how to chase up getting a skate park. He probably cannot vote for me for another four or five years, but that is beside the point. I think he was happy to do that.

Mr A.D. McRae: He would be a Labor voter anyway.

Mr A.J. SIMPSON: I do not know. If he is using the Internet and telecommunications, he is probably more likely to be a Liberal voter.

Mr M.P. Murray: Do you know the difference between a Labor voter and a computer? With computers you only have to punch in the information once.

Subject: Criminal Code Amendment (Cyber Predators) Bill 2005 [Legislative Assembly - Motion]

Date: 8 November 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 6891b - 6907a [online (pdf)]

Yokine and context - sometimes irrelevant, often quotable

MR M.J. COWPER (Murray) [5.43 pm]: [...] A situation developed back in 2003 for New Zealanders. I take a bit of an issue with members of the house who said today that New Zealanders usually copy what happens in Australia. I enjoy from time to time - particularly when the rugby is on - giving our Anzac cousins across the Tasman Sea a bit of a touch up, particularly the wife of one of my best mates who is of Kiwi origin. I enjoy from time to time giving them a bit of a going over, just for the fact that they are Kiwis. Whether we are Kiwi or Australian, it is almost a traditional sport to beat up on each other.

Mr R.C. Kucera: Do you realise what you have just said about your mate’s wife?

Mr M.J. COWPER: What; that she was a Kiwi?

Mr R.C. Kucera: No, before that.

Mr M.J. COWPER: I have no idea.

Mr J.C. Kobelke: Check it in Hansard.

Mr M.J. COWPER: I will check it in Hansard and have a bit of a laugh. Okay? However, I can assure the member for Yokine that there was nothing -

An opposition member interjected.

Mr M.J. COWPER: The member for Yokine needs to get his mind out of the gutter.

Mr R.C. Kucera: I wasn’t having a shot. I don’t think you realise what you said.

Subject: Road Traffic Amendment Bill 2006 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 29 November 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 8958b - 8983a [online (pdf)]

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Making friends for Nigel

HON PETER COLLIER (North Metropolitan) [11.21 am]: The debate on the Daylight Saving Bill (No. 2) 2006 has consumed a considerable amount of time of this house and I do not intend to go through every issue that was raised. There has been an enormous amount of uniformity in the issues that have been presented. I thank members for their contribution to this debate.

Hon Ken Travers: Felsy introduced new arguments.

Hon PETER COLLIER: Arguments on both side of the daylight saving issue are valid. However, an issue such as daylight saving ignites passion like very few others. People feel very passionate about daylight saving. Unfortunately, it impacts upon relationships and friendships. I know that it has seriously tested my friendships.

Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: It would not mean much.

Hon PETER COLLIER: I am talking about friendships not inside this chamber, but outside the chamber.

Several members interjected.

Hon PETER COLLIER: That is right, I am a Nigel-no-friends. Call me Nigel!

Subject: Daylight Saving Bill (no. 2) 2006 [Legislative Council - Second Reading]

Date: 16 November 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 8335b - 8376a [online (pdf)]

Avoiding the temptation of posting just the reply

Mr R.C. KUCERA: [...] When people are reported and the police act on it, 99 times out of a 100 they will admit to the police that this occurred and the necessity to go to court is no longer there. The worst thing we can do to a hoon is not fine him-

Mr R.F. Johnson: Will you move your microphone, because it is rubbing against something?

Mr R.C. KUCERA: I am sorry. I am playing with it.

Mr R.F. Johnson: It sounds like you have indigestion.

Mr R.C. KUCERA: As a matter of fact I have.