Page 2147 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 6 June 1990
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MR SPEAKER: I accept your objection, Mr Collaery. We will try to lift the debate in the Assembly, Mr Berry.
MR BERRY: Indeed, Mr Speaker, but I can assure you that I will always provoke this Government because it is deserving of provocation.
The day before yesterday, Mr Collaery said he hoped the centre would be there for a long time, knowing full well that there was going to be an announcement by the Chief Minister in a very short time that the centre was doomed. You can write this down because this is what you said, Mr Collaery.
Mr Collaery: You will get yours.
MR BERRY: I will get mine at the next election. I will be miles in front.
Mr Speaker, the Government opposite has done this in relation to the Griffin Centre. It has ensured that there remains a cloud over the future of the Griffin Centre because it has said that very little will happen for three years, to get itself off the hook. It has done nothing about a long-term lease for the occupants of the Griffin Centre. It has said that there will be a grant of a further occupation licence. Everybody knows this is an entirely different matter; there is a great void between a licence and a lease.
The whingeing members opposite despise being poked with a pointed stick or having the blowtorch put on their bellies, but they are the Government after all, and they are the ones responsible for the deceit.
Mr Jensen: On a point of order, Mr Speaker; once again there is an imputation on the whole Government, clearly in contravention of parliamentary convention. I request that the member withdraw that imputation.
MR SPEAKER: I think, as a generalisation, it is not desirable but still acceptable.
Mr Jensen: On a point of order, Mr Speaker; I think you will find that House of Representatives Practice clearly indicates that any reference to a government in that way should be withdrawn in accordance with parliamentary practice.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Jensen, I will take advice on that matter.
I support your objection, Mr Jensen. It has been ruled in past proceedings that, if a statement accusing the Government of an action was not in permissible parliamentary language that could be levelled without challenge against an individual member, then it could not be levelled against the Government as a whole because the
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