Page 307 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 20 February 1990
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document, which is labelled "Labor program for November 1989" is, in fact, headed "1990-91: Major Capital Works Bids". They were proposals of items that might be included in next year's budget that were put forward by the department in November. There was never any provision in this year's budget; there was never any provision in this year's forward design program; there is no provision in next year's forward estimates, produced by the Labor Government. So for Mr Whalan to present this document to show that his Government had made a financial provision is a blatant lie and a distortion of the facts. The document with which he attempts - - -
Mr Whalan: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I think it is obvious why I have risen.
MR KAINE: I will withdraw the statement, Mr Speaker, but "facts is facts". I will now proceed to the second document - - -
Mr Whalan: That is a qualified withdrawal, Mr Speaker.
MR KAINE: I withdraw the offending word, Mr Speaker. Having totally discredited the first paper on which Mr Whalan's argument is based, we then move to the second one, which he claims shows that this Government has removed this provision from his budget when it was never in the budget in the first place. The document that he produces to support that is headed "1989-90 Forward Design Program" - that is, this year's forward design program. It will use the money that he himself put in this year's budget for forward design work. It is not a budgetary provision and it in no way indicates that this Government has taken any money out of anything.
The two documents that he puts forward are not comparable. Neither of them supports his contention. Quite clearly he set out to mislead the public at yesterday's public meeting as to either his Government's intentions or mine. For that reason I would now like him - having suspended the standing orders to permit him to do so - to table the formal budget documents which substantiate his claims: firstly, that his Government made provision for $5.5m in a budget for this purpose and, secondly, that the present Government took it out. I submit that he can do neither, but I would like to give him the opportunity to do so.
MR WHALAN (3.37), by leave: Mr Speaker, let me open my remarks by saying that I do not need a motion of suspension to seek leave to introduce any document into this chamber. If I want to introduce a document into this chamber, I can seek leave at any time. If it suits the purpose of the course that the Opposition is pursuing at a particular point of time, we will do that. I have already sought leave today to table this particular document which was distributed at the public meeting last night. This particular document - - -
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