Page 4655 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 27 November 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Mr Connolly: I take a point of order. Mr Speaker, you ruled in favour of the Leader of the Opposition, that Mr Jensen's remarks were irrelevant, and he proceeded to return to exactly the point that you ruled on. We are getting to the point where wilful disobedience comes into question and you are going to have to consider taking action against this man.
MR SPEAKER: Just be warned, Mr Jensen. Wilful disobedience will not be tolerated. Please get to the point.
MR JENSEN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Next time the people opposite seek to complain about the performance of the Government I will seek to draw their attention to the relevance of the debate. But - - -
Mr Berry: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: I think he has finished.
Mr Berry: I think he has finished, all right. It is about time he was finished off.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Berry.
MR JENSEN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As my colleagues Mr Humphries and Mr Collaery have already said, the CDF was set up at a time when the Federal Labor political machine was not accountable to the people.
Mr Berry: This is repetitive and tedious.
MR JENSEN: You can talk about tedious repetition, Mr Berry. Coming from you, that would have to be the richest statement of the lot.
In fact, it was that particular machine that set up this process because they were sick to death of some of the smaller issues that were being brought before the Federal Cabinet. It was quite appropriate in those days before self-government, Mr Speaker, for the CDF to be established. It is quite possible, I think, that it worked very well. It was interesting to note, Mr Speaker, that Mr Wood referred to the Chief Minister's role in identifying the various groups that were proposed for funding. Unfortunately one can remember, of course, why Mr Wood was getting so upset. It was because he failed to advise the house that in fact, at various stages during his life in another place in the ACT, he was involved in that very same process with the Chief Minister.
Let us now look at the suggestion by Ms Follett about the so-called $3m that is alleged to have been lost from the CDF. There was an estimated balance, as at 31 December 1990, of $15,776,000. The amounts committed were $12,860,000. Let us just have a look, Mr Speaker, at what that $12m-plus was appropriated for.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .