Page 3878 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 23 October 1990
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MR KAINE: As I said, the sorts of things that the Opposition seeks to turn into matters of great importance are amazing. The things that its members focus their time and energy on, and attempt to focus the time and energy of this Assembly on, are absolutely incredible.
Mr Speaker, when I made an aside to the Attorney-General, it was by way of a joke. When the members of the Opposition attempted to bring it up the following day and to turn it into a major issue, I still regarded it as a joke. I believe that anybody with any intelligence who heard the exchange and the circumstances under which it was made would see it as a joke. The joke, of course, is on the people opposite.
Mr Speaker, here we have two letters, E and X. They had nothing to do with any debate that was going on in this Assembly. They were used in an aside which in most places would not even be recorded in Hansard. If we are going to devote this amount of time and effort - as the Opposition is demanding - to every aside that is made in this Assembly, including those of the Opposition, and we are going to take up the time of this Assembly debating them, then I submit that the Assembly is going to go rapidly downhill. Opposition members have demonstrated that they will go to any lengths. They are up there listening to Hansard tapes; they are poring over transcripts - - -
Mr Connolly: Because you denied that you said it.
MR KAINE: I have not finished my statement yet, Mr Speaker. Having asked the question, Mr Connolly might let me answer it. They have been up there in the dust going through the Hansard tapes and listening to the tapes to obtain this crucial evidence about this objectionable word.
Ms Follett: About the untrue statement that you had made.
MR KAINE: It is interesting that you did not object to it, Mr Speaker; only those people opposite object to it.
Mr Jensen: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: there was a suggestion made just then by Ms Follett that the Chief Minister had made an untrue statement. I request that that be withdrawn.
MR SPEAKER: I did not hear the aside - another aside.
MR KAINE: I am prepared to let that pass, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: I was listening to the Chief Minister, Mr Jensen.
MR KAINE: However, despite the paltry nature of what they are on about, I have to concede there is some evidence. The eminent practising lawyer and sleuth across the road there and his indefatigable offsider have done their
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