Page 4310 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 20 November 1990
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I am also very concerned about the suggestions made in the additional comments by Mr Moore concerning Dr Willmot. There is a very strong tendency on the part of those opposite to denigrate public servants, particularly senior public servants. I wonder why this is.
Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: There is no comment on Dr Willmot by me in the additional comments. There is no reference to Dr Willmot or anything to do with him in the additional comments.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Moore! Thank you for your observation. Please proceed, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I stand corrected. The comments appear in the body of the report. I know that Mr Moore was not very enthusiastic on that point in my appearance before the committee. I can assume only that he concurred with that recommendation going forward.
I think we need to look very carefully at the allegation made by Mr Moore. As I said, there is this tendency to denigrate public servants, particularly senior public servants. I suppose they are seen as fair game. It even goes apparently to the extent of calling, in this case, Dr Willmot "Mr Willmot", which somehow denigrates him that little bit more than would otherwise be the case.
Mr Duby: It was even done again tonight deliberately in the debate.
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, it was done deliberately tonight as a device to denigrate the public servant concerned.
Mr Moore: He has an honorary degree.
MR HUMPHRIES: It is not an honorary degree. I notice that the report says that the view was formed by the committee that one senior public servant had misled the committee when giving evidence. Dr Willmot was the person referred to subsequently in the Canberra Times article.
I should point out to the Assembly that Dr Willmot takes the suggestion of misleading the committee very seriously and has obtained a legal opinion from a firm of solicitors in Canberra, the gist of which is that at that time he correctly answered the question that was put to him. I might refresh members, memories as to that question. Mr Moore asked:
With your discussion with the planners -
note those words -
did they actually make a recommendation on Hackett as to whether it should be closed or stay open?
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