Page 766 - Week 05 - Thursday, 6 July 1989
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that a man in this town is saying openly - and the Rally can produce a statutory declaration from an adult in this Territory, a competent adult known to an investigative journalist in this town - that he is going to build a casino. That person has had a number of direct grants in this Territory, that person knows - on Mr Whalan's own admission - and the Rally is very concerned. We want the matter aired.
Mr Whalan, in a restrained sense, was asked a number of questions to tease him out on that aspect, and he has not responded to it to the Rally's satisfaction.
What is wrong with the Rally arming itself with that information, taking the steps to say to that person, "Are you prepared to make a statutory declaration?", and raising it? This is not a pursuit of Mr Whalan per se. This is the pursuit of knowing what is going on in this Territory, the right to be consulted and to have a say.
Clearly, one effect of these matters is almost to make sure that certain processes now for section 19 will be proper. One effect of a question and a press statement the Rally gave before we adjourned the last time from this Assembly, about the Bruce Stadium, was to do exactly the same thing. It was to put Mr Whalan on notice that he could not move precipitately in terms of the athletics track until the financial aspects demanded by both the Liberal Party and the Rally had been determined. Mr Whalan can, if he wishes, give a full response to me when I say to him in this chamber: Why is Mr Geoff Da Deppo telling people, or at least a person, that he has the casino contract? Why is Mr Da Deppo saying that thing? We want to know why, we are entitled to know, and Mr Whalan is entitled to respond. He can respond by saying that we have offended the privilege of the house, and call upon me to do a number of things or be expelled from this chamber or whatever he likes. He has not taken that prospect. In a quite reprehensible fashion a tactical motion has been put on this morning "to flush Mr Collaery out". Well, he has just flushed me on, and we will keep doing it.
Mrs Grassby: Good, but let us get the evidence.
MR COLLAERY: You are getting it bit by bit.
Mrs Grassby: It is taking so long - typical lawyer.
MR COLLAERY: Mr Speaker, the Rally will remain statesmanlike in this debate. The Rally has no intention of descending to the level that the Labor Party or numbers of them have in this chamber recently. The fact is that we need in this Territory legislative reforms to ensure that the one great social issue facing the town at the moment in terms of the construction program, the casino, is faced up to very carefully.
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