Page 1260 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 23 August 1989
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I think Mr Whalan should take a good look at himself and his conduct. Indeed I think the Chief Minister should take him aside and have a few words to him in relation to his conduct. I do not think "censure" is appropriate. I think "admonish" in this case is appropriate, but he should lift his game.
MR BERRY (Minister for Community Services and Health) (4.15): The first thing I would like to talk about is what was said on the ABC last Sunday when Mr Collaery reported about his popularity being affected by personal attacks on him. I must admit that when I heard that I was jolted into being wide awake because I was rather surprised that even Mr Collaery would try that one on, given our experience in this Assembly.
Mr Jensen: Did you not hear Bob McMullan the other day?
MR BERRY: You will get your turn, Norm. The fact of the matter is - and we have all heard it in this Assembly - there have been a number of fairly malicious, I would say, personal attacks made against Ministers of the Government. As a minority Government and as a Minister in that minority Government, we expect to get a bit of stick from members of the Opposition and other parties because of the political circumstances. We are prepared to live with that, but I would expect that in some circumstances, where members of opposition parties seem to have no scruples - or at least the Residents Rally seems to have no scruples - about the viciousness of the attacks, they might expect that members from these benches would be somewhat angry and antagonistic towards the Residents Rally.
I go back to Mr Kaine's earlier statements and Mr Humphries' statements. They expressed some concern about how this Assembly might be viewed by the public at large when it considers issues such as this over such a long period of time when other important matters - and I think this was also raised by Mr Stefaniak - might be dealt with by the Assembly which have an important effect on the public at large.
Mr Moore: Good. Keep your speech brief.
MR BERRY: You will have to speak up, Mr Moore. The real issue is about the Residents Rally members feeling free to wield the big stick at every opportunity with as much viciousness and antagonism as they feel appropriate and then, when there is at times an angry response, we hear whinges and whines about the reaction of those nasty Government Ministers. I think it is about time that the members of the Rally woke up to themselves and approached the business of this house like mature politicians and did not seek to waste the time of the house on matters such as have been brought before the house by Mr Jensen.
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