Mr MALONE (Mirani—LNP) (7.39 pm): [...]Like the member for Callide, I have absolute admiration for those teachers who teach in those very remote areas. I am not just saying that because I am married to a schoolteacher and have some real understanding of their trials and tribulations as my wife taught in schools for many years after we were married. It is with some knowledge that I understand the issues before teachers across Queensland and more particularly in my electorate.

Mr Wilson: She’s still trying to educate you, Ted, is she?

Mr MALONE: Indeed. I will not take that comment.

Mr Wilson: You just did!

Mr MALONE: She has given up on me, mate!

Subject: Education Legislation Amendment Bill / Education and Training Legislation Amendment Bill [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading -- Cognate Debate]

Date: 6 October 2009

Hansard reference: p. 2550 [online (pdf)]

So, somehow, without any plan and with a lot of stubborn persistence, Houses & Motions has now been running for three years. Just why it keeps going remains to be seen, but if you want to know why this all got started, last year’s retrospective may help. Anyway, today’s post isn’t related to any of this, I’d queued it up a while ago so I’m tacking on the intro now…

Mr DEMPSEY: I implore this state government to be realistic in its approach and make sure that it
pays teachers adequately in comparison to teachers elsewhere in Australia for the hard work that they do.

Mr Schwarten: How much? What’s the offer from the opposition?

Mr KNUTH (Dalrymple—LNP) (9.56 pm): In speaking to the Education and Training Legislation
Amendment Bill, I acknowledge the minister’s intention to streamline—

Mr Dempsey: How much is enough?

Mr Schwarten: How much?

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Bundaberg.

Mr Schwarten: Just gratuitous waffle.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Minister!

Mr Schwarten: No offer.

Mr Dempsey interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I am on my feet. I will ask the member for Bundaberg to withdraw
that unparliamentary comment.

Mr DEMPSEY: I withdraw that comment.

Mr Schwarten interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Minister, the member for Dalrymple has the call.

Mr DEMPSEY: I rise to a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. What was the word—parrot? Was it
parrot or was it to do with brains because if brains were rubber bands they could be wrapped around a
parrot’s ankle.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Bundaberg.

Mr DEMPSEY: I withdraw.

Mr Hinchliffe: It’s a bit too late to come back at that point.

Opposition members interjected.

Mr Schwarten: No wonder the coppers got rid of you.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Schwarten: No offer; no guts.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Minister!

Mr Dempsey interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Bundaberg, you leave me no option but to warn you.
This is it. The member for Dalrymple has the call. Any further interjections will be treated that way.

Mr Schwarten interjected.

Mr DEMPSEY: I rise to a point of order. I take offence and I ask the minister to withdraw.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, he has asked you to withdraw.

Mr SCHWARTEN: I withdraw, Mr Deputy Speaker. I don’t like him winking at me.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, withdraw unreservedly.

Mr SCHWARTEN: I withdraw. I ask him to stop winking at me across the chamber. It is quite
embarrassing.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, I will ask you to withdraw again unreservedly.

Mr SCHWARTEN: I withdraw unreservedly, Mr Deputy Speaker.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. The member for Dalrymple has the call.

Subject: Education Legislation Amendment Bill / Education and Training Legislation Amendment Bill [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading -- Cognate Debate]

Date: 6 October 2009

Hansard reference: pp. 2569 – 2570 [online (pdf)]

HON ALYSSA HAYDEN (East Metropolitan) [10.24 pm]: [...] The committee’s “Touch of Pink” breakfast was held at the Burswood entertainment complex and more than 460 people were in attendance. I was joined by my colleagues Hon Helen Morton and Hon Donna Faragher, along with Andrea Mitchell, the hard member for Kingsley.

Hon Ken Travers: The hard member?

Hon ALYSSA HAYDEN: The hardworking member for Kingsley.

Hon Ken Travers: I always found her a bit of a softie, myself.

Hon ALYSSA HAYDEN: She is a lovely lady!

Hon Ken Travers: Yes. I’m going to tell her you called her hard; I think that’s very unfair!

Hon Liz Behjat: No-one’s ever called you that!

Subject: Breast Cancer Month — “Touch of Pink” Breakfast [Legislative Council - Adjournment Debate]

Date: 14 October 2009

Hansard reference: p. 8011 [online (pdf)]

Hon KEN TRAVERS: [...] There is almost unanimous agreement within the chamber on the policy of the bill, but I believe it is important that we understand whether this bill, as it has been agreed to by the Committee of the Whole, will be good legislation that achieves the policy implications as were agreed to in the second reading debate.

Hon Simon O’Brien: It is exactly the same as what you agreed to in the second reading debate. Are you voting against it now?

Hon KEN TRAVERS: No.

Hon Simon O’Brien: Then you’re a phoney and a fraud in what you’re saying and so are all your colleagues!

Hon KEN TRAVERS: Hon Simon O’Brien would probably know more about phoneys and frauds than anyone else in this chamber.

Hon Simon O’Brien: Yes, because I’ve sat here and stared at them for 12 years!

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Hon KEN TRAVERS: Hon Simon O’Brien has sat next to them for 12 years; he has not stared at them for 12 years, although I have occasionally seen him do googly eyes at those who sit next to him.

Subject: Criminal Code Amendment (Graffiti) Bill 2009 [Legislative Council - Third Reading]

Date: 14 October 2009

Hansard reference: p. 7988 [online (pdf)]

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: [...] It appears that the opposition spokesperson for health has had a leak come to her; she is in possession of a leak! The mover of the motion has also got an interest in this matter, so her ears have pricked up. Hon Alison Xamon has beaten this slack opposition to move an urgency motion on the subject.

Hon Sue Ellery: Don’t be ridiculous!

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: I did not see the Leader of the Opposition come out with it.

Hon Sue Ellery: I stood up early in the debate —

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: The Leader of the Opposition did not move the motion.

Hon Sue Ellery: The Greens (WA) asked for the motion. We agreed that they should move the motion.

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: Bully for you! It saved the member the trouble of actually doing some work!

Hon Sue Ellery: We actually had that motion planned and they asked —

Hon Ken Travers: What is happening in the other place?

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: Mr President, we have just —

The PRESIDENT: Order! The comments the last minute or so have very tenuous links to the real issue; that is, mental health services. That includes the comments being made by the speaker on his feet and the interjections.

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: Mr President, the —

Hon Ken Travers: Stop disobeying the Chair and sit down!

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: Why don’t you just pull your head in for half a minute!

Hon Norman Moore: I think he should go back to sleep!

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: He was sound asleep a minute ago.

Hon Norman Moore: We are really disappointed that Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich woke him up!

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: That is where he needs to be.

Hon Sue Ellery: Why does the minister not answer the question about why the great advocate for mental health did not —

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: This is why, Mr President, I cannot get a word in edgeways. Can I ask for some order?

The PRESIDENT: Order! I will close the debate in a minute if we cannot get some order. Let us have one speaker on his feet and no interjections—speaking to the motion, I would add.

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: Mr President, with respect, I have been speaking to the motion. I shall continue to do so.

Hon Ken Travers: The minister cannot challenge the President like that!

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Subject: Mental Health Services [Legislative Council - Urgency Motion]

Date: 13 October 2009

Hansard reference: pp. 7744- 7745 [online (pdf)]

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: Let us understand what is being proposed. We are going to give a right to the Commissioner of Police to determine who gets paid what. There will be the capability for the police commissioner —

Mr C.J. Barnett: No, there will be an award.

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: No, I am sorry. The Premier should listen again. I will read the provision.

Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so boring that every now and again you say something that is so stupid that I tune in.

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: The Premier should go back to the bar if he wants to and finish his red wine. I do not mind.

Subject: Police Amendment Bill 2009 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 13 October 2009

Hansard reference: p. 7873 [online (pdf)]

Mr M. McGOWAN: [...] Anyone who has been out there will know that there are communities that are as different from Subiaco as places on other continents; they are completely different. These officers will be required to perform a range of duties for which they will not be trained, because that is the nature of what happens.

If such an officer arrived in Yuna and was expected to perform a duty that did not fall within his guidelines and he refused to do it, one of two things will happen. That officer will be ostracised by the rest of the police force, as members can imagine; the other officers will say, “Just do it, will you?” Anyone who has ever been to Yuna will know that it is out of the way. I do not mean to pick on Yuna; it is probably in your electorate, Mr Speaker! It was a lovely town the time I went there! The cappuccino strip was wonderful!

The SPEAKER: I think you drank all the cappuccinos!

Mr M. McGOWAN: I do not think there has been a cappuccino in Yuna for a long time!

Subject: Police Amendment Bill 2009 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 13 October 2009

Hansard reference: p. 7866 [online (pdf)]

Mr J.M. FRANCIS: [...] I am not fortunate enough to have had children yet – if ever – and I certainly do envy people who have children.

Ms J.M. Freeman: I will send you my 13-year-old!

Mr J.M. FRANCIS: We can swap hostages for a couple of days!

Mr R.H. Cook: Does that mean she gets a couple of cats in return?

Mr J.M. FRANCIS: The member for Nollamara will get a couple of German shepherds – Sasha and Rex. I have got them in Hansard again. I must stop naming my dogs!

Subject: Election Promises – Barnett Government [Legislative Assembly - "Liberal Plan for the First 100 Days of Government" -- Motion]

Date: 23 September 2009

Hansard reference: p. 7606 [online (pdf)]

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: [...] When it comes to conventions, only one or two ministers in the former government had the decency to stand down from their positions, with all the stuff that was going on with the Corruption and Crime Commission and all the rest of it! If members opposite want to talk about conventions, they should look up the word and find out the true meaning of it. Members opposite do not adhere to the conventions of the Westminster system at all.

Mr P.B. Watson: Sit down!

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Albany, if you want to stand and seek the call, you know that I will give you the call, but continual interjections are not helping this process.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I do not intend to labour this point any more. I would love the member for Albany to get up and give his view. I really would. I would love to hear his view and his concise opinions on what we are discussing today.

Mr P.B. Watson interjected.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Get up and speak, my friend! There is still some time left, so get up and speak!

Mr P. Papalia: You’ve embarrassed yourself enough!

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: You embarrass yourself every day! You really do, sunshine!

Mr M.P. Murray: And you did not get chased by Channel 7?

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: And I do not go poaching, my friend!

Subject: Speaker’s Casting Vote – Westminster Convention [Legislative Assembly - Standing Orders Suspension -- Motion]

Date: 23 September 2009

Hansard reference: p. 7551 [online (pdf)]

MR I.M. BRITZA (Morley) [10.27 am]: [...] I leave to last our chair, the member for Armadale. When appointed to the committee, I was delighted to see that the honourable member was in fact our chair. In the light of her possible imminent departure from this house, I feel it appropriate to make a couple of brief but sincere comments about her. It has indeed been an honour and a privilege to serve under her leadership. My respect, admiration and high regard for her have simply increased. She has led with integrity and decency, impartiality and genuine veracity.

Mr T.G. Stephens: The member will get her into trouble if he sings her praises too much!

Mr I.M. BRITZA: I am trusting that the chair will not use these comments in any kind of advertising!

Subject: Community Development and Justice Standing Committee [Legislative Assembly - Second Report - "Annual Report 2009" - Tabling]

Date: 24 September 2009

Hansard reference: p. 7676 [online (pdf)]