Page 4733 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 28 November 1990
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MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, the question Mr Wood asked was premised on the assumption that this was a party political matter. Obviously those opposite would consider this to be a party political matter, but the fact is that the administration, particularly the administration in the Ministry for Health, Education and the Arts, is presently charged with the task of implementing a Government decision to proceed to develop and consolidate the ACT public hospital system. To fulfil that purpose and to undertake duties which further that aim is not a question of acting in a party political way. Public servants who perform those actions, who take part in work necessary to fulfil that aim, are not acting in a party political fashion; they are doing their job.
The fact of life for Mr Wood is that in this case there was clearly some misunderstanding about the nature of the event that KIX 106 was sponsoring. It was entirely appropriate, in my view, that those officers should contact the radio station and apprise it of the situation. I repeat my assertion in answer to the earlier question. There was no question - - -
Mr Berry: Interference.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Berry says "interference" across the chamber. Let Mr Berry show that that was the case. He cannot - - -
Mr Berry: Have a look at the front page of the Canberra Times.
MR HUMPHRIES: Proof, indeed! I sincerely hope that, if Mr Berry's obituary were published in the Canberra Times one day before he had actually died, he would not believe that it was true and lie down and die. The fact is, Mr Speaker, that this is not a case of any public servant acting improperly. I did not know about the matter before it occurred. I have to say that I do not consider that there was any impropriety in what occurred. Clearly, they were making the position and the interests of the ACT public hospital system known to the radio station concerned. I consider that to be an entirely justifiable action in the circumstances.
MR WOOD: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Mr Humphries, surely you must agree that the mere approach imposes a threat on the people at the radio station. Why was there any need to make an approach?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I do not think Mr Wood has fully understood the circumstances of this matter. Nobody in this place can be unaware of the policy that all the radio and television stations in this city employ, as far as political matters are concerned. Those media outlets are all engaged very heavily in community activities, to my
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