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

In another time

Hon PETER FOSS: In speaking to the amendment, I would like to put to bed the concept that, if the house sits earlier, members will get more sleep. That rationale is very much like the daylight saving argument. The amount of sleep we get is determined by the amount of time available between the house’s rising and the time it commences. It is fallacious to say that we will get more sleep if the house starts earlier and rises earlier. It is almost as good an argument as that which claims the curtains will fade because of daylight saving.

Hon Kim Chance: I think I said it would get us home a little earlier.

Hon PETER FOSS: It will get us home a little earlier, but it will get us out of bed a little earlier, so we will come back to Parliament half asleep; we will have the potential for an accident on the way to work rather than on the way home. That is wonderful.

Hon Derrick Tomlinson interjected.

Hon PETER FOSS: Yes, then we would not have to go to bed at all. The government’s reasoning is fallacious in two ways. When I was in practice many years ago, and as the state would not have daylight saving, I started my own daylight saving by coming into the office an hour earlier.

Hon Derrick Tomlinson: And your curtains faded.

Hon PETER FOSS: The funny thing was that I went home at exactly the same time as I did without the daylight saving. I just worked an extra hour every day because the signal to go home was when it went dark.

Hon Kim Chance: Did you find your milk went sour?

Hon PETER FOSS: The milk went terribly sour and the curtains in my car were totally faded, but -

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Hon George Cash): Hon Peter Foss is speaking to the issue of the deletion of “2.30 pm” and the substitution of “3.30 pm”. I cannot understand where the milk comes into it, but I will allow a little leeway. In the end, members, Hon Peter Foss is entitled to speak to the amendment, and only that.

Hon PETER FOSS: I was referring not to milk, but to the hour. The change from 2.30 to 3.30 pm will be sensible. The entire concept of starting earlier in order not to sit later is fallacious. The amendment not only has the advantage of enabling a party room meeting of upper house members, which is highly desirable in trying to deal with things, but it gets away from the fallacious argument that starting earlier will provide more sleep. It will not. In fact, I expect the opposite to be the case.

Hon Kim Chance: We are going to agree to the amendment.

Subject: Standing Order 61(a), Sitting Times [Legislative Council - Motion]

Date: 27 April 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 721c - 731a [online (pdf)]

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

Working on the sequel

A year after this...

Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: [...] The parliamentary secretary may not be aware - I was not aware of this matter until it was raised with me - of the problems many our wethers and steers experience with their pizzle. Thankfully, I have not caught it! I have not been out in the paddock long enough. However, I understand it is a major problem. Pizzle rot is occurring everywhere. It is increasing rapidly and causing all sorts of problems for farmers. Is the parliamentary secretary aware of the incidence of pizzle rot in wethers and steers? Is the restricted access to the steroid testosterone impacting on producers?

Mr A.D. McRAE: I might have to defer that question!

The CHAIRMAN: The last parliamentary secretary had to phone a friend; perhaps the parliamentary secretary would like 50-50!

Mr A.D. McRAE: I polished up on my knowledge of carnal bunt and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, but I did not deal with pizzle rot! I might ask some scientists to give us that information by way of supplementary information, because at the moment we are struggling to understand the extent of the problem.

Subject: Division 11: Agriculture, $148 576 000 - [Legislative Assembly - Estimates Committee]

Date: 9 June 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 374b - 387a [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

Q and not A

289. Hon NORMAN MOORE to the minister representing the Minister for the Environment:

Obviously, this is question time and not answer time.

Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: That is why it is called question time; otherwise it would be answer time.

Hon NORMAN MOORE: I know. I would like to give notice that at the next sitting of the house we will change it to question and answer time.

Hon Kim Chance: No, I blush when I get a bad answer, and I didn’t do so then.

Hon NORMAN MOORE: The Leader of the House is blushing now, and I can understand why. I know how he feels, because I used to have a minister who did the same thing to me.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order, members! Let us move on.

Subject: Conservation Commission, Aboriginal Heritage [Legislative Council - Questions Without Notice]

Date: 19 May 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 1956b - 1956b [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

Anthemic Greenough for you?

MR G.A. WOODHAMS (Greenough) [10.13 pm]: I notice in this house that there is often some licence to use certain language to express points of view. I choose to take licence to express a particular point of view about the Australian anthem, Advance Australian Fair. Perhaps our learned friends on the other side of the house would like to rewrite the national anthem to become Advance Australia Equal! It could be rendered: “Australians, let us all rejoice, for 57 seats have we; golden soil and wealth for toil, our home is girt by sea.” Members should feel free to sing along if they know the words. “Our land abounds in nature’s gifts of beauty rich and rare, and history’s page at every stage, Advance Australia Equal. In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Equal. When gallant Gallop from Geraldton sailed to trace wide oceans over, false courage bore him on, till he landed back on our shore. Then here he raised old Labor’s flag, the standard of the red, with all his faults we love Jim still, one vote, one value rules the wave! In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Equal. Beneath our radiant Parliament House, we’ll toil with hearts and hands, to make this city-state of ours, renowned of all the lands. For those who’ve come across the seas, we’ve boundless electorates to share, with courage let them all be combined, to advance Australia equal. In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Equal.”

Subject: One Vote One Value Bill 2005 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 5 April 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 266b - 345b [online (pdf)]

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

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

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)]

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

Greenough said...

66. Mr G.A. WOODHAMS to the minister representing the Minister for Education and Training:

Before I ask this question I acknowledge the presence in the public gallery of some of the constituents from the seat of Merredin. I welcome them to the house.

I refer to a media statement of 11 April 2003 in which the previous Minister for Education and Training, Hon Alan Carpenter, promised to “revolutionise remote learning” by installing specialised telecommunication systems in the homes of all children studying through the School of the Air and Schools of Isolated and Distance Education at no cost to families.

[... asks six part question ...]

The SPEAKER: Order! I think most people in this place would consider that question far too long. If the member for Greenough wants detailed answers to questions such as those, he might like to consider putting his questions on notice. I presume notice of the question has been given.

Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied:

Some notice has been given of the question. It is an absolute delight for me to be asked a question by the member for Greenough. Is it the new member for Greenough’s first question in Parliament? I will not bore the house, but I find it interesting. We go back a long way. He was my school captain when I started my first year in high school at Albany High School. An explanation attached to this question is building! He and I have known each other for years; we worked together at the ABC and Channel 7 when it was called TVW 7 - a magnificent place to work in those days. More importantly, we were members of a very inclusive band of supporters of Subiaco Football Club who went to every home and away game. When we were contemplating what were the silliest things to yell out, he rose to the occasion with a cry that has not been surpassed and yelled out - he might want to finish this - “Oobie, doobie” -

Mr G.A. Woodhams: Come on Subi!

Several members interjected.

Mr A.J. CARPENTER: No catchcry has ever taken root like that. It echoes around the grounds of the WAFL today, even though no-one is there to yell it out! The players are waiting for it! Where is it? It was absolutely magnificent.

I asked the member for Greenough to please ask me a question. Consistent with his character, he has asked six questions, none of which I can answer, even though, to be fair, he gave notice at 12.10 pm today! I am no longer the Minister for Education and Training, and I know that is regretted by 25 000-odd state school teachers; they lie awake at night wishing I was back, just as I wish for the echoes of “Oobie, doobie”!

Subject: Home-Based Remote Students [Legislative Assembly - Questions Without Notice]

Date: 7 April 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 551b - 551b [online (pdf)]

Tags: greenough, carpenter, subi, parliament, perth, state government, wa

After the First Test, England might need the Liberal approach...

493. Mr P.B. WATSON to the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development:

Can the minister tell the house whether the sale of Telstra will offer any security of services for Western Australia?

Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied:

I thank the member for Albany for the question and point out that he looks a bit bleary-eyed. He must have stayed up late last night watching that fantastic contest in which the king of spin bowled his balls down the wicket, with little leg breaks and sliders, and the occasional top spinner, only to be thwarted by one batsman. Members may think I am talking about Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen, but no, I am talking about the great king of spin in Australia, John Howard, and the one person who will stand up to him, Barnaby Joyce. Barnaby just hits John Howard back over his head. While the rest of the Liberal Party seems to be bamboozled by the king of spin’s little leggies, Barnaby plays them as they are back over his head - another six, Barnaby! While the Liberal Party in Western Australia is playing like Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Boycott, just poking out the pad, occupying the benches and doing nothing, there is Barnaby, just showing them what they can do. I had given up hope for the other side, but all of a sudden over the weekend the former wonder king, Hon Norman Moore, that great batsman from the past - he is past his peak now and probably will not get back into the first XI - suddenly found a bit of form. Suddenly Hon Norman Moore started hitting John Howard; he started saying that he could read his spin and he was going to start hitting the ball for Western Australia. I just hope that the Liberal senators - Judith Adams; Ian Campbell -

A government member interjected.

Mr J.J.M. BOWLER: Exactly - who are they? - Alan Eggleston; Chris Ellison; David Johnston, a former mate of mine from Kalgoorlie; and Ross Lightfoot - will take a leaf out of the batting efforts of Barnaby Joyce and not the Colin Cowdreys on the opposition benches here. They are just occupying the benches. They have not scored a run for a long time. I hope those senators will start doing what they are supposed to do and go in to bat for Western Australia.

Subject: Telstra Sale, Security of Telecommunications Services [Legislative Assembly - Questions Without Notice]

Date: 13 September 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 5157b - 5157b [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament, cricket, spin, ashes

A bit too excited about the budget

Mr T.R. BUSWELL: I think something has happened to me since I became a member, because when I go to bed I now read such things as this consolidated financial statement. I ask that the Treasurer put his photograph on the inside of the cover as a memento.

An opposition member: Something for you to read before you go to sleep.

Mr T.R. BUSWELL: Perish the thought.

Mr E.S. Ripper: I do not like the idea of you looking at my photograph when you are in bed.

Mr T.R. BUSWELL: I may already be doing so! If I have seen a woman’s face in ink spots, I can see the Treasurer’s face on the flyleaf. Who knows what could be happening in my mind since I came into this place?

Mr R.C. Kucera: No wonder he has a blue hand!

Subject: APPROPRIATION (CONSOLIDATED FUND) BILL (NO 3) 2005 (WA Legislative Assembly, second reading)

Date: Thursday, 24 November 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 7730b - 7743a [online (PDF)]