Page 3044 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 5 December 1989
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Mr Speaker, the claim to fame by this Government really falls a little flat, but without wishing to be churlish in respect of their achievements one should recognise that they tried a budget process; they tried a consultative process; it did not really work. I think there were two women at the table or three. I want to put an end to the suggestion that Mr Kaine and I opted out; we opted out for the last morning session.
Mr Berry: No, you opted out because Mr Kaine opted out.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR COLLAERY: We opted out for the last morning session, Mr Speaker. That is the fact and that cannot be denied. We do agree, Mr Speaker, that this party was shocked by the motion coming on. I have outlined why it came on, and surely there has been sufficient time to devote to working out where we go in the future.
Mr Speaker, the level of the debate today augurs well. I stress, Mr Speaker, that the basic fact was the instability of the minority Government in going further than it might have in good judgment; but whatever that be, that is coming to an end.
I have an additional comment to make, at the request of Mr Wood, and perhaps I should have done it spontaneously. Mr Wood asked me to apologise to Mr Whalan for events in this house on 6 July 1989, when, having been put to my feet to speak on corruption for three or four hours, I made a number of statements and tabled a document. In tabling that document I said, among other words - and I refer to page 801 of the Hansard - that the Government was forcing me to read this document; to put up or shut up. I went on to say that this could mean a number of things. It could mean that Mr Whalan was involved, it could mean an investment in town, it could mean also a donation to the Labor Party.
Mr Speaker, in retrospect, I regret tabling that statutory declaration, and I wish to say that now. If not goaded and pushed into that three- or four-hour marathon, I think my judgment, particularly as a lawyer, might have been clearer. I would have preferred to have presented the statutory declaration to the Chief Minister in private to determine what action, if any, should be taken. But it was put to me, and it is in the Hansard - the quotes and interjections are there, too - that I should produce something. Produce anything, I think some of the interjections were.
Mr Speaker, in retrospect, I apologise for doing that to Mr Whalan. I believe that he was entitled to have the document presented to him in another forum, if necessary, with the Chief Minister and myself. I unreservedly apologise for tabling that document. Likewise, Mr Speaker, I expect the Deputy Chief Minister might realise that, if
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