Page 2113 - Week 10 - Thursday, 26 October 1989
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I was particularly disappointed to hear Mr Wood's comments. Mr Wood has come from a place where the committee system is less than successful - - -
Mr Wood: Non-existent.
MR HUMPHRIES: As he says, non-existent. On several occasions since that time he has said what a great institution the committee system is in parliament and in particular in this place. It seems strange to me that the committee that Mr Wood sat on - probably the first committee that he was appointed to - should have made recommendations and that he should now be leading the charge to reject and repudiate those recommendations.
Mr Wood: You might ask Mr Stefaniak whether he is supporting all the recommendations too.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Stefaniak rejects only one recommendation of that committee, a fairly small one. Notwithstanding what Mr Wood has said about this not being a major issue, I think that it is, of course, a major issue. The question of "involved unions" is the central issue in this debate. Members of the committee have decided to reject the committee process; that is what they are doing - rejecting the committee process, having heard evidence from groups that came before them and put submissions to them bona fide. They now come to this place and decide that for political reasons they do not wish to accept the evidence they have previously heard. I think this is a very sad day. I do not think that I will listen to comments about our wonderful committee system from that side of the house in quite the same way again.
Mr Kaine: They have been "heavied" by the unions.
MR HUMPHRIES: That is precisely right, Mr Kaine, they have been "heavied" by the unions and have decided that it is an easier course of action to take - - -
Mr Whalan: Friends and brothers.
MR HUMPHRIES: I think Mr Whalan said "friends". That sums it all up pretty well - the Labor Party's friends. This legislation in favour of the comrades has been put up because of a relationship between the Labor Party and this Government. It is a necessary quid pro quo. The Government was committed to it long before it became the Government. We are seeing it now paying off its debts, and the whole of the ACT, particularly the building industry, will suffer as a result.
Mrs Grassby: They are not debts; they are the policy of the Labor Party.
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, that is right, Mrs Grassby; it is the policy of the Labor Party.
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