Page 3107 - Week 14 - Thursday, 7 December 1989
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MR SPEAKER: That is not a point of order, Mr Collaery. Please resume your chair. Please proceed, Mr Whalan.
MR WHALAN: Thank you for your support on that, Mr Speaker. The purpose of that interjection was to deny me time. When I am finished, I am going to ask for an extension of time to cover the period that these frivolous points of order have taken up, raised by this person over here.
One of the things about this adjournment which is particularly worrying is the fact that these people want to scuttle away and squeak and hide from scrutiny. They are not game to stand up in the public forum of this Assembly and have their proposals, their policies and their divisions scrutinised. They are not prepared to stand up in public and have themselves scrutinised.
One of the many things that have to be discussed in this Assembly is the question of the security of employment for public servants. We have got two views being expressed. We are going to have 10 views expressed from time to time by this coalition, Mr Speaker. But on the question of sackings of public servants, today's Canberra Times clearly demonstrates the divisions. Collaery wants to sack Townsend; Trevor Kaine says he will not. Now who is telling the truth? Which one of them is an honest man? Collaery has consistently said he intends to sack Townsend, and the mechanism for the sacking of Townsend is contained in this document which has been tabled in this Assembly today. That is the division of the public service responsibilities. In this division of public service responsibilities, Mr Speaker, you will see that the division has been very cleverly made to eliminate Jeff Townsend's job. Have a look at it, members of the press gallery.
Mr Kaine: On a point of order; the deputy leader of the Opposition is clearly impugning my character. I have made a statement to the public quite positively that what he is now asserting is untrue. I have made that on the record. I can only assume that the deputy leader of the Opposition is calling me a liar. I object to that most strongly, and I ask him to withdraw that imputation.
MR SPEAKER: I agree with that. Please withdraw that imputation, Mr Whalan.
MR WHALAN: I withdraw the imputation that Trevor Kaine is a liar.
Mr Collaery: On a point of order, Mr Speaker; I ask that the former Minister withdraw the corollary of his imputation which is against me. He is saying that I am a liar. I ask him to withdraw that imputation.
Mrs Grassby: Well, one of you is, according to the Canberra Times. Which one is it?
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