Page 1508 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 2 May 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
He is saying that as issues come forward they should go to the people for a vote, for a petition at the gate, as it was last Saturday. That is citizens' initiated decision making. (Quorum formed)
I wish the Hansard to record that there were clear tactics employed here to deny me time to speak on this issue. The Labor Party stands exposed - - -
Mr Berry: Start speaking on the issue.
MR COLLAERY: Mr Berry was in the annexe while the bell was ringing, Mr Speaker, and he has just walked back in now. I have only a few moments left. I believe that some significant matters have arisen out of the Ainslie Transfer Station issue, and the first is the question of how you govern. We heard Ms Follett's statement at the university the other day that she would govern Canberra by committees. We would be a committee. We saw that happening through the previous Government's budget process and once again Mr Berry proposes voters' veto. Mr Berry endorses and resurrects the former Labor Party's program for voters' veto. It used to be in their program - - -
Mr Berry: I raise a point of order under standing order 62, Mr Speaker. This is irrelevant.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Your objection is upheld Mr Berry. Please debate the issue, Mr Collaery.
MR COLLAERY: Those of us who are close have seen the shine disappear from Mr Berry's patent leather shoes in the last 10 minutes. It has all gone sad for him. He has endorsed very clearly that we cannot close anything or do anything in this city unless we have a citizens' referendum.
Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. You have instructed this man on several occasions to debate the issue.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Collaery, I believe you have made your point. Please debate the issue before the house.
MR COLLAERY: I will not dignify the vitriol that some of the other members on the bench - I exclude Mr Connolly and Mr Wood - used against my colleague Mr Duby. The fact is that governing Canberra in the best interests of the people of Canberra is a very difficult task. We heard Mr Duby at length yesterday and I believe the public and the community are entitled to have this Assembly move on to important business. The most significant aspect of this debate to date is the proposal by the Labor Party that Canberra be governed by committee and that there be, in between elections, specific mandates sought for decisions of this nature, as Mr Berry suggested.
How on earth, in the democratic world, will government work in that scenario? We saw that dreamboat scenario for some
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .