Page 1983 - Week 07 - Thursday, 31 May 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
position was misrepresented in some of the statements that were made by Mr Humphries earlier today. He uses the term "consultation" quite loosely, but its true meaning is in the Labor philosophy, that it is done on the widest base and the views of all of the participants are fully taken into account.
In relation to the health promotion fund, it became clear at the outset that Mr Humphries had engaged in that which is typical of conservatives - that is, some selective advisings rather than true consultation. He then made a judgment about how certain people might be appointed to this board.
We found out that a number of sports bodies and an equally large number of arts bodies have not been consulted. We pulled the sports bodies together and found that they had not been consulted, and their decision was that, besides small and larger sports groups being represented, arts groups and the trade union movement ought to be represented. As a facilitator of the transmission of their wishes to the Minister, I went to the fifth floor of this building and assisted in conveying that message to the Minister. It seems that he has not interpreted it too well.
The labour council made it clear to the Minister that they wished to be represented on this body, and I will come back to the reasons why in a moment. I am pleased to see that the Minister made an admission that he had not intended to mislead the house, and he did so graciously. But that mistake pales into insignificance when compared to his refusal to accept the nomination of the Trades and Labour Council for that very important health promotion body.
I suspect that the reason why the labour council has not been received can roughly go along the lines that the Government, having received a letter from the labour council, thought the matter too hot to handle because it had come from a union. It was in the true tradition of little "l" liberalism which the Minister claims to represent.
Mr Kaine: What you do not know, Wayne, is that I have your labour representatives in and out of my office all of the time.
MR BERRY: Yes, I got a letter from one the other day who was having a bit of a giggle about what you said.
Mr Kaine: They can giggle.
MR BERRY: They were laughing, actually. They are not allowed to laugh in here because that would disturb the Assembly. They go outside and have a good laugh. Mr Speaker, the issue is about the Trades and Labour Council and all of its affiliates having a say in health promotion in the ACT. The Trades and Labour Council is already
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .