Page 1558 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 27 September 1989
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come up with any sophisticated form of data or informed speech on this subject.
Mr Wood: I do not know that I did, either. I did not send out reams of data.
MR COLLAERY: Yes, but we do not want to attack you.
Despite the resources available to this Government, despite the 17,000 public servants and the health and dental services available, this Minister for Health has not tabled in the Assembly today, as he should properly have done, an informed advice to support his assertions. It is not here. Mr Deputy Speaker, we have seen the very cynical use of this debate. This group over me, of four people at least, have not had the slightest interest really in fluoride or the community. They have seen this as another attempt to get at the Rally. And I think that is clear to everyone.
Mr Wood: Nonsense!
MR COLLAERY: Yes, it is clear. It is very interesting that the four in front of me are now falling in behind Mr Whalan in his fixation on the Rally. We heard in every sentence a reference to the Residents Rally. I assume it is on his lips at all times, even in the middle of the night. He dreams it - "the Residents Rally, the Residents Rally". This rhetoric, Mr Deputy Speaker, shows clearly that the Deputy Chief Minister has his priorities in order. They are not fluoride and this debate today, but to take up as much time of the Assembly as possible, to take as many cheap shots and gibes at the Rally - particularly at my colleague Dr Kinloch, who approached the original debate on fluoride in our vexed room at the time, when we tossed it around and looked at all the data and the text very carefully and cogently.
For the Chief Minister to suggest, when we decide that we will not simply regurgitate the very carefully researched speech prepared by our colleague Mr Moore, that we adopt a flippant attitude is simply cheap, political points scoring in the hope that the media might fall for it. It was ill becoming, as my colleague Mr Kaine said, for the Chief Minister to adopt that approach.
We say that the Rally has never opposed, per se, any due inquiry into fluoride. It is an issue that is widely and currently debated; it has been known to have been on for some considerable months; and the Government has not brought an informed contribution to the debate. That is extremely regrettable. This Deputy Chief Minister's best defence in that situation is his typical, classic bluster. Well, bluster is not good enough in the health area. We need facts.
Mr Prowse has brought facts forward. Mr Moore has brought facts forward. Mr Stevenson has brought facts forward. Others have come into that and added to the debate, and we
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