Occupational Safety and Health Amendment Bill 2010
Hon Simon O'Brien; Hon Alison Xamon; Hon Nick Goiran; President
Discharge of Order and Referral to Standing Committee on Legislation — Motion
Resumed from 7 April on the following motion moved by Hon Jon Ford —
(1) The Occupational Safety and Health Amendment Bill 2010 be discharged and referred to the Standing Committee on Legislation for consideration and report.
(2) The committee is to inquire into and report on the policy of the bill.
HON ALISON XAMON (East Metropolitan) [11.27 am]: Mr President, if I can quickly get your guidance —
The PRESIDENT: Hang on.
Hon Simon O’Brien: No; she has not spoken on this motion to refer.
Hon ALISON XAMON: No, I have not. Can I quickly get the President’s guidance. I obviously wish to reply to the second reading debate, but if I rise now to speak on the referral motion, do I also need to do my entire reply to the second reading debate now or can I speak to the referral and then speak to the second reading debate later?
Hon Simon O’Brien: See, I told you you didn’t know anything about how the legislature works.
The PRESIDENT: No, Hon Alison Xamon, you are only speaking on the referral if you elect to speak now.
Hon ALISON XAMON: In that case I say that the Greens (WA) are happy to see this bill referred to the Standing Committee on Legislation. I think there have been some really interesting comments made, particularly about industrial manslaughter. I would like to say that I have also sought legal advice and the legal advice on this is actually quite mixed; therefore, I think the idea of being able to have hearings and to look into that issue in particular would be quite useful. I know there have been calls for the offence of industrial manslaughter in the past and I think it would be useful issue for us to be able to look at in particular.
Point of Order
Hon NICK GOIRAN: I seek a point of clarification, if I could, Mr President. Hon Alison Xamon indicates that she will support this particular motion, but I note that she is actually a member of the Standing Committee on Legislation.
Hon Alison Xamon: I am a member of that committee.
The PRESIDENT: Order!
Hon NICK GOIRAN: If I could finish the point of order, Mr President —
The PRESIDENT: Yes; finish the point of order.
Hon NICK GOIRAN: I just need clarification about whether the member would be a member of the committee, given that she has conduct of the bill. That is the only point of clarification I seek.
Hon Kate Doust interjected.
The PRESIDENT: The clarification of that point is: yes, Hon Alison Xamon would still be a member of that committee, and that has happened on many occasions in the house.
Debate adjourned, pursuant to temporary orders.