Page 3003 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 August 1990
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What could be clearer than that? Once again, I guess this boils down to the typical sort of malarky that is put up regularly by the members of the Opposition.
We know that there will be no increase in costs, and that has been the general statement that has been made from the outset. What I object to, more than anything else, is the way that the Opposition members can take any issue and distort and twist the facts. They say that this is supposedly a lazy government, that we are not doing our work, and various other things like that. They make malicious statements in the Assembly, but when they are caught out is there any retraction? No. We heard the Leader of the Opposition say quite categorically today that when she was in government, when the Labor Government was in power between May and December, it introduced more legislation than this Government. It simply is not the case. We have demonstrated that in almost half the number of sitting days which that Government had available to it we introduced more legislation. Yet when the fact was put to them, did anyone say, "Gosh, I guess we got the number wrong"? No.
In my view we have a lazy, disorganised Opposition that is a disgrace to this Assembly. In its attacks on this Government, it never relies on research; instead it relies on innuendo, complaints and deliberate and malicious distortion of the facts. Today we had the prime example. As usual, the Leader of the Opposition is too lazy to be here. She comes in; she never makes an impromptu speech; all she ever does is read prepared speeches that have been written by her loony Left associates who work in her office.
Mrs Grassby: On a point of order, Mr Speaker - - -
MR SPEAKER: Order! Yes, I think it is unfair to attack the members' staff.
Mrs Grassby: Yes, I will not have the Leader of the Opposition's staff referred to as loony Left.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you. I am speaking on your behalf. Please resume your seat.
MR DUBY: I am sorry. I withdraw any allegation that they are loony, but there is no doubt about the fact that they are Left and belong to what is commonly referred to as the loony Left faction of the Labor Party. Can I leave it at that? As I said, no constructive work comes from the Leader of the Opposition. She sits in this house with her nostrils flared and a scowl on her face as if - - -
Mr Berry: It is getting a bit personal, I think.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Berry. Please resume your seat.
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