Page 50 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 23 May 1989
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Follett, our now Chief Minister, said to the Residents Rally, "How do you feel about the proposed amendments to the standing orders?". Bernard Collaery's reply was, "We have no problems with them". They are obviously going to try to deny this now, but I have here four or five witnesses to that particular incident and that particular response.
I would encourage Dr Kinloch to refresh his memory on that particular incident because those were the circumstances under which we discussed this particular proposition about the creation of a position of Leader of the Opposition to be elected by the chamber. He was part of it then. It was only subsequently that he chose to attack the proposal.
Mr Kaine: You did not discuss it with me, Paul.
MR WHALAN: You were never there. The reason why I, like Dr Kinloch, feel more sorrow than anger that this matter is being discussed is that it is such an enormous waste of the Assembly's time. It is absolutely extraordinary that this is taking place when we have a notice paper which contains such important matters as the establishment of committees which will set in train the processes of operation of this Assembly to enable us to initiate matters within this chamber.
Also on the notice paper we have the discussion in relation to the Chief Minister's statement, order of the day No.1, and the opportunity there for members to canvass their views on the future of the ACT. But instead of that we are taking up our time with this ridiculous nonsense initiated by the Residents Rally on this purported matter of public importance.
With due respect, Mr Speaker, I would suggest to you that the subject of the matter which we have before us is hardly a matter of public importance. I regret the fact that we did not have the opportunity to debate the important issue of heritage instead, which is truly a matter of public importance. This matter at best is a nonsense and at worst, it is a reflection upon this parliament. Thus, it is a gross breach of the standing orders.
Let me deal first of all with why I consider this matter to be a nonsense. It is quite clearly part of a figment of Bernard Collaery's fertile imagination. Poor old Bernie missed out on the ballot and one of the reasons why he believed that he did not have any objection to this position of Leader of the Opposition was that at that time he really believed he was going to be in government.
Mrs Grassby: So did we.
MR WHALAN: So did we think we were going to be in there with him. That is obviously the reason why he was not at all concerned about the position of Leader of the Opposition at that time. But he missed out of course.
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