Page 240 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 1990
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that one does not know where to start. Primarily, though, I should respond to Michael Moore's comment regarding the Canberra Hospital. Mr Berry, Mr Moore and other members on the other side of the house have constantly tackled the question of the future of the Royal Canberra Hospital. We have constantly looked at the option of it being used for convalescent care, lower than acute traumatic care - - -
Mr Berry: That's not your policy.
MR COLLAERY: Mr Berry, they are propositions that you have put in this house; they are propositions, as Mr Moore knows, that we in the Rally discussed at length when he was there; and they are propositions that are entirely consistent with Rally policy. If there is one issue in relation to which we should try to and give the current Minister for Health, Education and the Arts assistance it is the hospitals issue.
Mr Berry: Closing it down?
MR COLLAERY: You know the facts, Mr Berry. You know the difficult circumstances there. You are in a particular position, because of your union experience and strengths, to assist the people of the ACT, to see what must take place in the health sector. You have pleaded with me in the past privately to look sensibly at the propositions that our Minister for health now is considering. You can run your ideological issues and rattle your sabres - we do not mind - but how about a bit of bipartisanship on some of the crucial issues affecting this Territory? I have posed some questions for the next speaker, and I trust that we will be receiving some answers.
MRS GRASSBY (4.32): Mr Speaker, Mr Kaine thinks he can pull the wool over the eyes of the ACT voters. I do not think he can. Let me inform you, Mr Kaine, that if you rob Peter to pay Paul you end up getting Paul's support; that is the support of big business, and that is what you are looking for. You do not care about the people of Canberra. Political parties die swallowing their own lies, and that is what you will do. Mr Duby, success did not spoil you, you were always insufferable; always remember it.
Mr Kaine thinks he can sell off the farm to pay for all the things he wants to do, such as for the money that he is giving to the very fast train consortium. Mr Kaine, the very fast train consortium could buy and sell our Government over and over again, yet you are giving it the money, thus denying the voters and school leavers who will not be able to get jobs in this town because you are cutting them.
Let me tell you a little story about the wake of the XPT. One of the gentlemen who spoke at the wake made the point that his wife had to work in Sydney and he in Canberra, and each weekend they used to make the effort for her to come to Canberra so that they could spend the weekend together.
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