Page 805 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 1990
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What has he done? In two months?
Ms Follett: Not a lot.
MR BERRY: Not a lot in two months. No wonder it has become a political issue. We have to give him a little bit of a prod with a pointed stick to get him moving on these issues. That is exactly what we have done, so no wonder the Government is squirming a little bit on the issue because it has done virtually nothing, although we have been warned that there is an imminent Cabinet decision, the Government has oiled up the press and will pretty soon turn it on. Pretty soon we will have some legislation rolling off the presses to bring into the Assembly. Well, I will believe it when I see it.
Anyone with a social conscience - and Mr Collaery claims to have one - would accept the urgency to ensure that the human rights of Canberra residents are protected. It is all right for the privileged who can afford lawyers or, indeed, those who are lawyers - they can do without the protection of human rights facilities in the ACT because they do not need that sort of protection; they can look after themselves. But the people who suffer discrimination, which the Government does not seem to have any concern about, are those who are less well off in our society, less able to protect themselves.
Mr Collaery should put his head down; he should be holding it down in shame. Ms Follett has already outlined cases, such as discrimination against children, the physically and intellectually disadvantaged and the appalling treatment of Canberra's first woman firefighter. Despite the protestations from Mr Duby about this last matter, no doubt there will be some effort by the management people to cover up what has happened in that respect.
Mr Duby: The only discrimination she has received is from the FFU.
MR BERRY: Of course, the FFU would be a bit of worry for you; they found you out too, loser. The Liberals' lack of support for - - -
Mr Collaery: What is your answer on seniority, Wayne?
MR BERRY: I will get to that in a minute. The Liberals' lack of support for the human rights is well known and it is shown by its policy to abolish the human rights commission. Of course, it has no interest in the less well off as has been demonstrated by its very history, and those people in society will not be protected from breaches of their human rights. It is also well known that despite the bleating of Mr Collaery on this issue, nothing is being done. All the promises about the imminent Cabinet decisions mean nothing.
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