Page 998 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR BERRY: In relation to the amendment, Mr Speaker, again the Government has moved to slap itself on the back because there are not people lining up outside to do so. The examples of the Government's failure to service the people of the - - -
Members interjected.
MR SPEAKER: Order! It is coming from both sides, Mr Berry. Do not be selective in your hearing. Please proceed.
MR BERRY: The Government members opposite have proved that they do not care for the provision of an increased range of birthing options for women in the ACT and the Opposition will be opposing - you can sigh, you will get your turn in a minute, Ms Maher - the amendments because, whilst the Government attempts to slap itself on the back by saying that it has provided an increasing range of birthing options for women, in fact, it has reduced them because it has taken away the Royal Canberra Hospital and ensured that all public obstetric services will be provided at Woden Valley Hospital. A limited range of services will be provided at Calvary Hospital. The birthing options for the majority of women will be reduced. Those are the facts of life and the Government cannot deny that. Therefore, the first paragraph in the Government's proposed amendment moved by the Minister for Health and private enterprise, Mr Humphries, will be opposed by the Opposition for those very reasons, because it has lied and misled this Assembly.
Mr Humphries: On a point of order, Mr Speaker; I ask that he withdraw that inference.
MR SPEAKER: Yes. Please withdraw that - - -
MR BERRY: The Government has, in my view, lied to the Assembly.
MR SPEAKER: There is a substantive motion to be moved if that is the case. Please withdraw the statement.
Mrs Grassby: It is not against one person; it is against the Government. It is the Government; he is not talking about a single person.
Mr Humphries: He said, "He has lied".
MR BERRY: I said, "It has lied". I am not going to withdraw the inference that the Government has lied to the Assembly, Mr Speaker, because it has done that. It is not an imputation against anyone.
Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, the term is unparliamentary.
Mrs Grassby: It is not an imputation against anybody; it is against the Government.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .