Page 4110 - Week 14 - Thursday, 25 October 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Over the next 18 months those initiatives and others, including those that hopefully we can take in our next budget, will create a new momentum in this country; a new momentum will come out of the Territory as we break down some of the traditional, ideological perceptions of government. This is a new type of government. This is a government which has proven that the Labor Party does not have a mortgage on social equity and social justice issues. Government members have established that conclusively. Recently we have seen some comments from Mr Greiner in New South Wales that prove that the Liberal Party itself has moved to equate itself more closely with the types of initiatives which coincidentally we are taking in the ACT. That is great news for me, coming from a community political base.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I have chosen to make my remarks in this debate in that manner because the bell is tolling for the Labor Party. It is tolling nationally. It is tolling all over the country and, of course, it is a muffled drum in the ACT because it is a wake. The Labor Party cannot even get the horses pulling its funeral carriage to run at the same pace. It has a factionalised structure that means that in the adjournment debate the other night Mr Berry, in the most shallow fashion we have seen - and we have seen a few shallow stunts this week from the Opposition - had to try to build on the trauma and life-loving problems of a member of the community.
When there was a straight up and down report in the Canberra Times, Mr Berry had to turn it into the fault of the Alliance Government. How cheap! What a cheap week it has been. We saw Rosemary Follett trying to bring down the image of the Territory with her original motion at the beginning of the week, and we have seen Mr Berry try at every possible juncture. Those are the types of activities, Mr Deputy Speaker, that belonged in the old-fashioned union yards. They do not belong in this Assembly.
Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker: I do not mind him having a shot at the Labor Party on social justice because he does not know what he is talking about; but, when it comes to getting right off the track, perhaps relevance - - -
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Collaery, please stick to the point.
MR COLLAERY: I thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for letting me go so long.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Now, could you stick to the point?
MR COLLAERY: He is going to be tough now. Mr Deputy Speaker, I have directed my department to work as closely as possible with Mr Humphries' department of health in ensuring that we interact our services. Mr Humphries'
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .