Page 2951 - Week 13 - Thursday, 23 November 1989
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One of the points that has come out in this debate which has struck me as being extraordinarily interesting is the comment made by Mr Wood. Mr Wood, of course, is a senior member of this house and I think it goes without saying that he is the one person in this house who commands respect from every member in the house and, I dare say, from the regular attenders in our Assembly here, particularly amongst the press. He is a man of great wisdom and experience in matters political and his counsel has often been sought by me and I dare say by quite a number of the other members of this Assembly.
Mr Wood made quite a few interesting points. I think, like a lot of people here, and particularly of course like the members of the press here today, this matter came out of the blue. It came out of the blue to quite a large number of people in this Territory and in this Assembly. But the point that Mr Wood made, I think, is quite a valid one: on what grounds has this motion of no confidence been tabled?
Mr Collaery: Cumulative.
MR DUBY: I hear the word "cumulative". Well, I suppose, if you throw them in an ounce at a time you eventually wind up with a pound, do you not? But I am quite surprised, especially in view of the fact that, as Mr Wood commented, today we had the peculiar situation where the Appropriation Bill was passed by all members of this Assembly, passed in a manner that barely raised a whimper. As a matter of fact I commented to some people later that, after I had moved my motion to reduce asbestos spending by a certain amount, it was defeated although, strangely enough, all members of the Assembly, with the exception of the Government, agreed with the sentiments. They agreed with the concept; they thought the idea was good; they just would not vote for it, out of, I believe, some irrational fear that voting that amount of money out of the budget would lead to a call for a general election. It was expressed to me by a number of persons that they felt that would provide the Chief Minister with grounds to seek an election. (Quorum formed)
Where was I exactly, Mr Speaker? That is right, we were talking about the well-voiced fear amongst a number of members of this Assembly that by reducing the budget by the $6.2m-odd that you and I proposed, Mr Speaker, it would provide grounds for Ms Follett to call an election. As I was furtively told in the corridors, "Of course, we know what that means. She would be returned with a thumping majority by the people of the ACT".
So in a lot of ways the whole concept of this motion, it seems to me, has almost been laid on the table in a fit of pique, as if someone has not taken his valium in the morning and it has just got too much for him after lunch. It is quite an amazing sort of motion. As Mr Wood said also, there have been no matters raised in this house which would justify a motion of no confidence, unless I have missed some matters of great importance. Strangely enough,
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