7406 Wednesday, 30 August 1995
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7406 Wednesday, 30 August 1995 THE SPEAKER (Mr Clarko) took the Chair at 11.00 am, and read prayers. PETITION - FUEL LEVY MR D.L. SMITH (Mitchell) [11.05 am]: I present the following petition - To: The Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Austraia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned people of Western Australia wish to express our objection to the Court Government's decision to increase the State Government Fuel Levy by four cents per litre from February 1,1995. This tax will place further burdens on families in this state. This tax is unnecessary and unfair considering: * recent increases in water charges, drivers licence charges and bus and train fares, * the Premier's statement in the 1994 Budget that he would not introduce any new taxes or increase taxes and, * the fact that the State Government has refused to spend $141.4 million, earmarked by the Grants Commission to fix our roads, over two years, Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. The petition bears 18 signatures and I certify that it conforms to the standing orders of the Legislative Assembly. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. [See petition No 120.] PETITION - HEALTH SERVICES, COMPLAINTS AND CONCILIATION SYSTEM MR D.L. SMITH (Mitchell) [11.06 am]: I present the following petition - To: The Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned petitioners call upon the State Government to legislate for an independent, accessible and structured complaints and conciliation system for consumers of health services as a matter of urgency. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. The petition bears 13 signatures and I certify that it conforms to the standing orders of the Legislative Assembly. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. [See petition No 12 1.] PETITION - GOOD START PROGRAM MRt D.L. SMITH (Mitchell) [11.07 am]: I present the following petition - To: The Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliamnent of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned petitioners call upon the Parliament of Western Australia to: urge the Minister for Education to: [Wednesday, 30 August 19951]40 7407 1. agree to the appointment of a All Party Select Committee of the Legislative Assembly of the State Parliament to review the Good Start Programme as moved by the member for Floreat Ms Elizabeth Constable. 2. Cease and defer any implementation of the Good Start Program until the commencement of First Term 1997 and then only implement it if the Select Committee so recommends and a majority of all schools, family centres and community centres agree to its implementation. 3. acknowledge that the persons best placed to judge when a child is ready to start playgroup kindergarten, pre-primary and or primary school are the parents of those children. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. The petition bears 15 signatures and I certify that it conforms to the standing orders of the Legislative Assembly. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. [See petition No 122.1 PETITION - TAB AGENTS AGREEMENT MR D.L. SMITH (Mitchell) [ 11.08 am]: I present the following petition - To: The Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We the undersigned petitioners call upon the Parliament of Western Australia to ensure: 1. The T.A.B is required to be fair and equitable to its agents and through them to their customers. 2. The T.A.B is reminded that Customer Satisfaction is based on having good T.A.B agents providing the best possible local service. 3. The T.A.B and the Minister for Racing and Gaming, meet with the WA T.A.B Agents Association and agree to: "Provide all agents with a five year agreement with a five year option of renewal and including a fair and equitable system of remuneration of agents." Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. The petition bears 139 signatures and I certify that it conforms to the standing orders of the Legislative Assembly. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. [See petition No 123.] PETITION - SUBIACO REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT; STATION STREET MARKETS MR BOARD (Jandakot) [11.09 am]: I present the following petition - To: The Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. WE, THE UNDERSIGNED wish to: (1) express our concern at the effect of the Subiaco Redevelopment Project on the Station Street Markets in Subiaco; (2) express our concern at the consequences that the closure of the Station 7408 7408[ASSEMBLY] Street Markets will cause to in excess of 100 stall-holders and their families, who rely on the Markets for their livelihood; and (3) urge the State Government to either make alternative market facilities available for existing stall-holders of the Station Street Markets or provide reasonable compensation to the stall-holders for the closure of their business which would result from implementation of the Subiaco Redevelopment Project. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. The petition bears 6 019 signatures and I certify that it conforms to the standing orders of the Legislative Assembly. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. [See petition No 124.] SELECT COMMITTEE ON ROAD SAFETY - LEAVE GRANTED TO SIT WHEN HOUSE IS SITTING On motion by Mr Bradshaw (Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet), resolved - That this House grant leave for the Select Committee on Road Safety to sit when the House is sitting on 30 August. BILLS (6) - INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 1. Stamp Amendment Bill Bill introduced, on motion by Mr Court (Treasurer), and read a first time. 2. Skeleton Weed and Resistant Grain Insects (Eradication Funds) Amendment Bill Bill introduced, on motion by Mr Bradshaw (Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet), and read a first time. 3. Poisons Amendment Bill 4. Health Services (Conciliation and Review) Bill Bils introduced, on motions by Mr Kierath (Minister for Health), and read a first time. 5. Police Amendment Bill Bill introduced, on motion by Mr Wiese (Minister for Police), and read a first time. 6. Local Government Bill Bill introduced, on motion by Mr Omodei (Minister for Local Government), and read a first time. MOTION - STANDING ORDERS SUSPENSION Censure Motion Against Premnierfor Misleading the House MR McGINTY (Fremantle - Leader of the Opposition) [ 11. 15 am]: I move, without notice - That so much of the standing orders be suspended as is necessary to enable consideration forthwith of a motion of censure against the Premier. Question put and passed with an absolute majority. MR McGINTY (Fremantle - Leader of the Opposition) [11. 16 am]: I move - That the Premier be censured for misleading the House in question time when he [Wednesday, 30 August 19951 707409 denied that the Government had provided staff and funds to assist the principals' association in getting school principals to sign workplace agreements while his Minister for Education and Director-General of Education admitted that the staff and funds had been provided. A censure motion, particularly one directed against the Premier for misleading the House, is a very serious matter. This motion should be moved immediately upon that matter's being apparent to the House. That is the reason we have sought to suspend standing orders to deal with this matter expeditiously this morning. It is appropriate in these circumstances, if the mistake, misleading or lie, however one categorises it, was made as an oversight or inadvertently by the Premier, that he stand in this House at the first available opportunity and correct the record. Had the Premier sought to do that either late yesterday or first thing this morning when the House sat - if he had stood up and said that he had made a mistake yesterday, he was misinformed and got the facts wrong - then obviously we are all human and we can make mistakes and that would be the end of the matter. The Premier has not elected to take that honourable course of action and to set the record straight. Therefore, it is appropriate that this House this morning look at this is a very serious matter. The question of the accuracy of answers given in the House is a matter of considerable community debate at the moment. It is fundamental to our system of government that answers given by Ministers, and particularly the Premier, in this House be honest and accurate. It is simply not good enough to have what is a bare faced untruth allowed to go unchecked by this House. I believe it is important that we therefore now censure the Premier for what is blatant misleading of the House. I cannot think of a more blatant misleading of the House. When asked whether his Government had provided staff and funds to a particular organisation, the Premier answered with a blanket, unequivocal no.