Page 2345 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 1 November 1989
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MR SPEAKER: That is a little far from the mark, I think, Minister Berry.
MR BERRY: Well, Mr Speaker, I know how even-handed you are in the way that you deal with these points of order and I am sure that you will treat me with the same regard as you treated Mr Collaery.
MR SPEAKER: I certainly am even-handed, Minister, but you were getting a little bit far away from the point.
MR BERRY: But I was trying to point out that the issue of consultation that Mr Collaery raises is a red herring and has no relationship at all to the issue which is the subject of this debate. On that same issue of consultation, I might say that I am very sensitive about that because I am quite proud of the role of both the Labor Party and the Labor Government in consultation and the way that they have handled consultation on all issues. For the leader of the Residents Rally to criticise our very good record on consultation when he himself was involved in the drafting of the move-on powers without much consultation amongst the community is another outrage. I think the most important issue in this debate is how the Residents Rally leader has tried to bring into this debate something which is quite misleading, and that is the Labor Government's - - -
Mr Jensen: That is the pot calling the kettle black.
MR BERRY: Well, you would know about misleading things, too, Norm. I must say that that matches the Liberal philosophy about misleading the people - the way in which the Liberal Party has tried to link our election promises about schools to preschools. Of course they are quite different and it is quite fallacious for the Liberal Party to run off at the mouth on this issue, just as it is for the Residents Rally.
Mr Humphries: The unions?
MR BERRY: Of course we consult with unions. Mr Humphries raised the issue of unions in this education debate - that is what he is trying to turn it into - and we agree they are an important part of the Labor Party's consultation process. But on that last point, Mr Speaker, I think it is most important that the Assembly give due regard to the dishonesty of the approach by both the Liberal Party and the Residents Rally in relation to the Labor Party's commitment on schools. This preschool issue is quite separate.
MR WHALAN (Minister for Industry, Employment and Education) (5.05): I would like to deal with some of the points which have been raised. Several other members have referred to anecdotes and Mrs Nolan spoke of her particular problems of transporting children to preschool. I would like to report that I lived in the closest house to the Village Creek
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