Page 1387 - Week 07 - Thursday, 24 August 1989
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Mr Humphries: I rise on a point of order. Mr Speaker, I draw your attention to standing order 52, which precludes members from reflecting upon a vote of the Assembly, and I ask the speaker not to reflect on a vote of the Assembly.
Mr Berry: Which vote?
Mr Humphries: The one on staffing. You are saying that it is a denigration of our duty to our staff and you are reflecting on the vote the Assembly has just taken.
MR SPEAKER: The point of order is upheld.
MR BERRY: I think what you might have found that needled you a little bit, Mr Humphries, was my reference to the 30 pieces of silver coalition. I can see why you would be upset by that, because the Liberal Party usually tries to sell itself as a responsible party. Mr Collaery, of course, wrongfully argued - in fact I think misled the Assembly in relation to his presentation of the issue - in relation to the legislation which this Government attempted to put before the house for the protection of Assembly members' employees.
Mr Jensen: Where is occupational health and safety? That is on the notice paper.
MR BERRY: Mr Jensen raises the issue of occupational health and safety and I think it is quite proper of the Residents Rally party to do that because all they have done in the whole process is attempt to water it down so that members are not properly protected, but in any event I will go back to the legislation which of course the Labor Government attempts to bring into this house to secure protection for employees of this Assembly.
Of course, it could be amended if Mr Collaery and those members of the 30 pieces of silver coalition wanted to amend any part of it. Probably the only parts that they would seek to amend are those which serve to assist people in the reduction of their proper tax commitments to the Federal coffers and to the community of Australia.
Mr Speaker, I think it is most improper of members from the coalition to stand barefaced and attempt to prevent the Government from providing proper protection for legitimate employees. Mr Speaker, the attitude of the coalition will of course be reported far and wide, and I am sure that their success in the recent polls run by the Canberra Times will be reflected at the next election and many of them will find themselves in a position where they too might require some protection from the sort of legislation that this Government attempts to implement, and I think most of them might be unemployed.
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