and we're back

MR G. WOODHAMS (Greenough) [3.07 pm]: I will not spend a long time on my feet. The member for Vasse reminds me of the Muppets and Sesame Street. Today could well and truly be sponsored by the letter D - it is a disgraceful day, a doubtful day, a detritus day and a disappointing day. The disappointment I have is with members opposite. Most of us on this side of the house have at one time or another had conversations with members on the other side of the house on a range of issues. There are members on this side of the house who would consider those on the other side of the house amongst their friends and associates, with whom they can discuss a range of issues. I presume that most of us have respect for most members of this house. However, it disappoints me that those on the other side of the house do not have the respect of their own colleagues, and they certainly do not have the respect of this side of the house today because they are not defending - another letter D - their Premier in this case, and his cause of rooting out the influence of Burke and Grill in this house. [...] I invite members opposite to explain why they are not supporting their Premier and defending the case of rooting out Burke and Grill from influence in the ALP. This is a very doubtful day.

Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan: We all support it.

Mr G. WOODHAMS: I invite the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure to rise to her feet and build a case.

Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan: I can do that sitting down.

The ACTING SPEAKER: Order, minister!

Several members interjected.

The ACTING SPEAKER: Order! The member for Greenough has the floor. There is no call for conversations across the chamber. I would like to hear what the member for Greenough has to say, and I would like to hear it in relative silence.

Mr G. WOODHAMS: Perhaps I caused that disruption to proceedings by inviting interjections. If I did so, I apologise, Mr Acting Speaker.

I come from a farming background, for which I make no apology. This government reminds me of an old ewe that has secondary fly strike and is riddled with maggots, and even though it has the ability to cure itself, it is taking absolutely no opportunity to do that. Mr Acting Speaker (Mr A.P. O’Gorman), I have read your comment in the paper that you would prefer that the circumstances with regard to Hon Shelley Archer were resolved by having her removed from the Australian Labor Party. Some other members opposite would do well to have the same amount of courage.

Mr R.F. Johnson: The member for Kimberley might want to say something about Hon Shelley Archer, because, as the member knows, she wants the member for Kimberley’s seat!

Mrs C.A. Martin: That is really nasty! I like my seat!

Mr G. WOODHAMS: It is wonderful to chart the progress of the good ship ALP as it staggers from rock to rock and begins to sink. It would seem, though, that the crew of the good ship ALP are about to jump off the ship and leave the rat on board! Hon Shelley Archer is currently still in a position to take her seat in the upper house when it resumes. I advised the Premier earlier that he might like to use Ratsac on that honourable member. If the Premier does not want to take that advice, perhaps he will send the honourable member to “Burketown” in the “Gulf of Carpenteria” -

Several members interjected.

Mr G. WOODHAMS: I am glad members finally got it - Carpenteria!

Subject: Premier - Censure for Failure to Condemn Hon Shelley Archer [Legislative Assembly - Motion]

Date: 1 March 2007

Hansard reference: pp. 234c - 241a [online (pdf)]

Tags: parliament, state government, brian burke, wa, perth

Previously, in the Legislative Assembly...

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: [...] Some of the people who are opposed to daylight saving have been quite vicious in their e-mails. Some people have threatened that I will have my legs broken. Some people have made some nasty comments about my parentage.

Mr T.R. Sprigg: You have broken a few legs in your time! You are the “Godfather”, are you not?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I will get to that in a moment!

[...]

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: [...] I do not support everything in this bill. I do not support the referendum. However, I will be supporting the compromise bill that has been introduced by the member for Kalgoorlie and co-sponsored by me, because I believe it will unify the “yes” position and provide the best opportunity to put daylight saving in place at least for three years. At the end of that period, there will be a referendum, and the community -

Mr J.E. McGrath: Why only three years? Why not five years?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I would prefer to have no referendum at all.

Mr J.E. McGrath: If 95 per cent of people support it, why do we need a referendum? Why not just do it?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: Because that is the position that the majority of members in this Parliament seem to support. In the end, this is a democracy, and the majority opinion will prevail.

I also thank the member for Kalgoorlie for giving me his support when I approached him to take a joint position with the government on this matter. His support was fantastic. However, I have a beef with the member for Kalgoorlie. He referred to himself as the father of daylight saving and to me as the godfather of daylight saving. I like to think of both myself and the member for Kalgoorlie as the parents of daylight saving. The only problem is that I am not sure who is the mother and who is the father! We can have that debate on another day.

Mr M.J. Birney: You might have spoken a bit too soon in any case! You should just retract those words for a couple of weeks!

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: Is that right? Is the member suggesting that we should wait until it happens? I actually think the term “godfather” should be given to the member for Hillarys - sorry, the member for Mindarie -

Mr R.F. Johnson: Whaddya say; whaddya say?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: The member has always said he wants to be an Italian!

Mr R.F. Johnson: I am an honorary Italian!

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

Date: 31 October 2006

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

Tags: parliament, state government, perth, wa, dst, daylight savings

Hoard of state

Dr S.C. THOMAS: [...] The numbers do not add up. I believe this is something that we on this side of the house will find with this government time and again. If we look closely enough, the budget figures just do not add up. There is no doubt that this will be the blow-out era for budget expenditure. There is no doubt that every six months we will have to come into this place and say this is one more project that this government has managed to blow out. We are dealing with appropriation bills for things that were not expected and for which we did not put aside enough money.

Mr D.A. Templeman: Balloons are expensive this year!

Dr S.C. THOMAS: Balloons are expensive. They will be more expensive next year, most likely, because there is a two-year waiting list to do anything. Of course, the government now has more money than it has ever had. It could build nearly anything it wanted. If it wanted to build a space station, it could probably damn near build that.

Mr R.F. Johnson: They are like a load of kids let loose in a sweetshop with a load of pocket money!

Dr S.C. THOMAS: Absolutely. They have this enormous amount of pocket money that they can spend on just about anything.

Mr R.F. Johnson: But not in Hillarys!

Mr D.A. Templeman: Willy Wonka lives in Hillarys!

Mr R.F. Johnson: I get nothing in Hillarys.

Dr G.G. Jacobs: I get nothing in Roe.

Dr S.C. THOMAS: They get nothing in Roe, nothing in Dawesville and nothing in South Perth! The government is probably going to take bits out of it!

Mr M.P. Murray: They will put uranium there!

Dr S.C. THOMAS: That is going to Merredin, member for Collie-Wellington!

Mr M.P. Murray: We will share it around!

Subject: Appropriation (Consolidated Fund) Bill (no. 3) 2005 / Appropriation (Consolidated Fund) Bill (no. 4) 2005 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 23 November 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 7684b - 7699a [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

The sound of silencers

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: [...] I concur with the comments of my colleague the shadow Minister for Police, the member for Kalgoorlie, about paintball. I have never played it, but it sounds like fun. I do not see that there is a problem with it, provided it is done with instruction and the proper protective clothing is worn. The game is fine as long as the necessary constraints are in place. We have had this debate many times over many years. I remember that when we were in government we were lobbied by people who wanted to be able to play paintball. Why should they not be able to play? I suppose a bit of commonsense is prevailing with the inclusion of these provisions. I suggest that mainly younger people like to play paintball. There should be some sort of age limit for young people who want to play this game. I would not want to see 10-year-olds -

Mr N.R. Marlborough: It is very physical. It should be restricted to people under 60 years of age. Never mind the young ones - keep the old ones out of it. They die without being hit.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: The old ones are more dangerous. The member for Peel would know that. The Opposition supports paintball not being illegal. We do not think it is reasonable to make it illegal.

Let us look at other parts of the Bill. I concur with the comments of my colleague the shadow Minister for Police, the member for Kalgoorlie, about silencers. He speaks a lot of sense in this place.

Ms J.A. Radisich interjected.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: What was that? The member for Swan Hills wants to interject on me. Do not raise your eyebrows at me, young lady - you cheeky thing. Mr Acting Speaker, she is raising her eyebrows at me.

Ms J.A. Radisich: Don’t call me that. You are lucky I let you get away with that.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: My friend the Minister for Small Business is returning to his seat. I feel an interjection coming on.

Ms A.J. MacTiernan: Sit down and get your composure back.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: The minister’s colleague the Leader of the House wants us to keep going until 11 o’clock. I am trying to help him. I am doing my bit for the Leader of the House.

Mr R.C. Kucera interjected.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Is the Minister for Small Business trying to coax the Acting Speaker?

Mr R.C. Kucera: I am making sure that you withdraw that disgusting comment about this lady here.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: What disgusting comment? I do not make disgusting comments about young ladies.

Mr P.D. Omodei: Why don’t you call a point of order?

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: If the minister thinks I made that comment, he should stand and call a point of order. I would never dream of making a disgusting comment. Gracious me! The minister should not try to verbal me. He will not get anywhere verballing me.

As I was saying about silencers -

Mrs M.H. Roberts: Silence is golden.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Silence would be golden. We would all like a bit of solitude and silence now. That was certainly on my mind half an hour ago. It would be rather nice to have some silence.

I am talking about silencers on firearms. I want to get back to the Bill before the House. I get sick and tired of distractions from members opposite, who are trying to prevent me saying the words which I want to say and which I firmly believe.

Ms A.J. MacTiernan: You are the most wanton seeker of interjections who has ever spoken.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: I do not know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr A.P. O’Gorman): Members! The member for Hillarys is trying to return to the Bill. The numerous interjections from this side are preventing him doing that. I want to hear the end of his speech.

Subject: Firearms Amendment Bill 2003 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 2 March 2004

Hansard reference: pp. 121b - 134a [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

Intensive care

Mr J.L. BRADSHAW: England is the last place to go to get health service advice.

The minister managed to weasel his way onto an English breakfast television program similar to our Today show. The commentator told him to nick off because the English did not want him pinching their nurses. They have the same problem - a nurse shortage. I saw the program while I was in England recently. I got a hell of a surprise when our Minister for Health popped up.

Mr R.F. Johnson: Did he have make-up on?

Mr J.L. BRADSHAW: Probably.

Mr J.N. Hyde: How many nurses did you see in the United Kingdom?

Mr J.L. BRADSHAW: None; I had my wife with me.

Several members interjected.

Mr J.L. BRADSHAW: I am too old for that sort of thing.

Several members interjected.

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

Date: 14 August 2002

Hansard reference: pp. 102z - 130z [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

Behind bars

Mr BIRNEY: [...] I would like to address a couple of other issues but, as I have run out of time, I am sure the Deputy Premier wants to say a few words.

Mr Ripper: I could sit quietly and see if you are given a further opportunity to speak.

Mr JOHNSON: I would like to hear more from the member for Kalgoorlie. He has a great interest in this Bill and the upper House’s amendments.

Mr McGowan interjected.

Mr JOHNSON: I am absolutely passionate. The member for Kalgoorlie has a lot of knowledge, because Kalgoorlie is very famous for its public drinking houses.

Ms MacTiernan: I thought you were going to say he has a lot of knowledge because he has been thrown out of a lot of pubs!

Mr JOHNSON: Not at all. The member for Kalgoorlie is an extremely competent businessman and has run a very good business in Kalgoorlie.

Ms MacTiernan: It must be only meetings he gets thrown out of.

Mr JOHNSON: The member is concerned for the people in Kalgoorlie, because it has a pub on every corner. I have been to Kalgoorlie only half a dozen times, and I have been in only a couple of the pubs. I am not a big drinker, and I have never been thrown out of a pub. It is important that we hear from the member for Kalgoorlie, if only for the benefit of the member for Armadale. I am not sure that she understands this Bill. I want her to understand this Bill, because it relates to heavy drinking. It is important that every member of the House know about that.

Ms MacTiernan: Absolutely. It is good that your side of the House recognises that it might have some issues in that area.

Mr JOHNSON: I think the issues are on the minister’s side of the House.

Ms MacTiernan: We are seeking to understand some of the behaviour on your side of the House.

Mr JOHNSON: The minister can drink me under the table any day. I am not a heavy drinker.

Mr Marshall: Can you hold your drink?

Mr JOHNSON: I can certainly hold my drink.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Members, I bring your attention back to the debate.

Mr JOHNSON: The member for Kalgoorlie is making a fantastic contribution to the debate on this Bill because he has a wide knowledge about not only this area but also many other areas.

Mr McGowan: Are you saying he is also knowledgeable about prostitution?

Mr JOHNSON: He is very knowledgeable about many things. He is a jewel in our crown.

Mr Ripper: You have convinced me; I really want to hear from the member for Kalgoorlie!

Mr JOHNSON: I have achieved something today. I am absolutely passionate. I hope that the member for Kalgoorlie continues his remarks and enlightens not only members on this side of the House but also certain members on the other side of the House.

Mr BIRNEY: I thank the member for Hillarys. I was not intending to continue, but the member has inspired me to once more bring some issues to the Deputy Premier’s attention.

Subject: Liquor Licensing Amendment Bill 2001 [Legislative Assembly - Council's Amendments]

Date: 28 November 2001

Hansard reference: pp. 6021 - 6022 [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament, kalgoorlie

Gets in your eyes

Ms S.E. Walker: Have you ever been a smoker?

Mr J.A. McGINTY: In my youth.

Ms S.E. Walker: You look as though you have been.

Mr J.A. McGINTY: I will not lead with my chin and ask how the member for Nedlands can tell that. We are targeting all these things. I was delighted when, a month ago -

Mr R.F. Johnson: I reckon you smoked when you were pictured doing that.

Mr J.A. McGinty: Luckily I cannot see the picture the member for Hillarys is holding up.

Mr R.F. Johnson: Two of your colleagues are with you. You look like a real free-swinging hippy.

Mr J.A. McGINTY: Did the member for Hillarys ever have hair below his ears?

Mr R.F. Johnson: No; never. I was a good boy. The chap in the picture with the megaphone looking like Osama bin Laden in the other photograph is your good friend the Treasurer. You will recognise the one in the middle probably.

Ms S.E. Walker: Did he say between or below?

Mr J.A. McGINTY: Hopefully, below.

Subject: Smoking in Cars - Education Campaign [Legislative Assembly - Motion]

Date: 28 June 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 4468b - 4486a [online (pdf)]

Impish

Mr M.J. COWPER: [...] I feel sorry for the people at the Fines Enforcement Registry. They must have an absolute sea of paperwork or a fantastic computer system. We have already heard from the member for Roe about how there are glitches and gremlins in the system. A classic example is sitting opposite - I had almost forgotten about the member for Ballajura!

Mr J.B. D’Orazio: You have a short memory!

Mr M.J. COWPER: I am a forgiving person!

Mr R.F. Johnson: I can’t believe he’s supporting this legislation!

Mr J.B. D’Orazio: Wait till I finish!

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

Date: 28 November 2006

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

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

Mind and owned business

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: [...] I have a great deal of sympathy for people who run small businesses. I am aware that if a person is running a small business, much of what he does relies on his ability to run that business. He cannot always replace his skills as an owner with somebody who is hired or employed. In a one or two-person business it simply cannot be done. If a person had a small business, he would make sure that -

Ms S.E. Walker: Have you ever had a small business?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands!

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: If a person ever had a business, he would never, under any circumstances, employ the member for Nedlands. The last time I saw cow pats stacked as high as the member for Nedlands was in a cow paddock in India. It was a long time ago.

Ms S.E. Walker: How do you run your small business?

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: Like the member runs her small mind.

Ms S.E. Walker: I have a good mind. None of your bulldust.

Mr R.F. Johnson: She has your mark.

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: Mate, she is a legend in her own brain cell; that is her problem.

Ms S.E. Walker interjected.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands!

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)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

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)]

Tags: wa, state government, parliament, perth, sunday trading

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)]

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)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

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)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

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)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

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)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament, the bill

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)]

Tags: state government, parliament, perth, wa, daylight saving, dst, emails, old growth forests

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)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament, bible, religion

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.

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

Date: 29 November 2006

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

Tags: parliament, perth, state government, wa

Not the best of weeks

Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: [...] We must go through a raft of minor provisions in the bill. I wanted to speak only on public funding. I understand why some members of the public are opposed to it and I can understand why some members in the house will vote against it. I agree that it will be abused and that the ALP will be the biggest benefactor out of this process.

Mr R.F. Johnson: Then join us, brother.

Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: On the other hand, I want to maintain a strong and healthy democracy in Western Australia. The traditional funding that has flowed to political parties in the past has been drying up. There is no guarantee that union funds will continue to flow to the ALP as they have done in the past. They might also dry up in the future. There has been a change in the public’s attitude about the funding of the political process. There has been a significant drop in the standing of parliamentarians among the community. These types of bills and debates contribute to the perception of members of Parliament. I am in favour of public funding as matter of principle. If members will nail me down -

Ms S.E. Walker: I am not going to marry you.

Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I am very disappointed! Is our engagement officially off? It is a bad week when the Dockers and Eagles lose and my engagement is called off!

Mr R.F. Johnson: Which is the biggest disappointment?

Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Definitely the engagement! I was looking forward to losing my pension!

Mr B.S. Wyatt: Can I have some of yours?

Subject: Electoral Legislation Amendment Bill 2006

Date: 13 September 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 5881c - 5893a [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament, pension, public funding

Stop.

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: [...] I will run through this chart. It summarises the whole daylight saving issue. The bottom of the graph shows the hours of zero to 24, which is normal Western Australian standard time. The hours at the top are daylight saving time, with the one-hour difference. It shows the business times in the eastern states, and the overlap with Western Australia. It shows the enormous benefits that daylight saving will have for business. That might seem small, but it is a huge factor.

Mr R.F. Johnson: Who prepared that graph?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: Dr Hammer.

The green lines show sunrise and sunset. The blue line shows the evening meal time. The recreation time is highlighted here. The evening recreation time is shown as being half during sunlight hours and half not during sunlight hours. This is what it will be under daylight saving. The white part on the graph shows the time that is allowed for people to get home after work. The significant thing from my point of view - this is something that all members should look at - is the meal and recreation time. I call that family time.

Mr R.F. Johnson: Do we all have to eat at that time?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I would be happy to swap the blue and the orange lines for the member for Hillarys, because he is unusual! They are interchangeable. That shows how daylight saving will have the biggest benefit in giving families time to recreate together and engage in the activities that they enjoy.

There has been an interesting argument that daylight saving will result in a huge difference in temperatures. The graph shows the temperature rise, and also the temperature fall when the sea breeze comes in.

Mr R.F. Johnson: Is that every day? I find that astounding!

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I am glad, member for Hillarys! I hope that at the end of this debate the member for Hillarys will be supporting daylight saving! The difference in temperatures because of the one-hour time difference will be between half a degree and one and a half degrees. It is not significant. The argument has been put that there will be a huge increase in temperatures, and school kids will die in the heat of the school bus. The reality is that the maximum increase in temperatures will be between half a degree and one and a half degrees. It will make very little difference. That is real data, not imaginary data.

Mr T.K. Waldron interjected.

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I am not going to win the argument with the members of the National Party.

Mr R.F. Johnson: You have convinced me, my friend! That graph is absolutely astounding!

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I like the member for Hillarys’ humour! I am very serious about the fact that daylight saving will be of enormous benefit for business. More importantly, it is about lifestyle and families, and about tackling the health issue in our community.

Mr C.J. Barnett: I think we need a photo of you holding up that graph!

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: I am sure I will have many to give the member!

Mr D.T. Redman: Is it correct that the hottest time of the day is actually four o’clock?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: On the day shown on this graph, the temperature peaked at four o’clock. It will peak at five o’clock during daylight saving hours. As I have said, the difference in temperatures because of the one-hour time difference will be between half a degree and one and a half degrees.

Mr R.F. Johnson: Do you give a guarantee with that?

Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO: The member for Mindarie has given an unequivocal guarantee that if anyone’s curtains fade because of the introduction of daylight saving, he will replace them.

Mr R.F. Johnson: I have a pair of curtains at home that have faded!

Subject: Daylight Saving Bill 2006 (Legislative Assembly, second reading)

Date: 25 October 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 7648b - 7652a [online (pdf)]

Tags: curtains, daylight savings, parliament, perth, state government, wa