Page 4935 - Week 17 - Tuesday, 11 December 1990
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MR BERRY: Having left the chamber, Mr Collaery began, as I recall, to exhibit those traits of behaviour that we have become used to and he was reminded by Opposition members that the Government did not have the numbers. Well, Mr Speaker, at about that time Mr Collaery's eyes started to roll like a poker machine. It dawned upon him - and he seemed to be panicking - that something awful was about to happen. Well, I can tell you that it was not going to be a call for a vote because I had already given an undertaking to Mr Humphries that that would not occur. That was never going to happen. Suddenly Mr Moore, and I guess Mr Stevenson, woke up to the fact that the Government did not have the numbers. Mr Moore, as he had not been whipped, decided to act in accordance with his own conscience and took the opportunity to move on the Royal Canberra Hospital debate.
We have been over that debate a dozen times and the Labor Party's position on it is very clear. It is our private members' business in relation to it which is before the place and if ever there is a vote on the Royal Canberra Hospital you can back it in that the Labor Party will support it. There is no doubt about that.
Ms Maher: You could have adjourned it.
MR BERRY: Ms Maher said something. That must be her statement for today. She said that we could have adjourned it. There was no agreement from us that we would take any action other than not call a vote. This all gets back to the remnants of the whipping procedures of the Government members opposite. It was all left in the hands of Mr Jensen. That is probably where the big mistake was made - leaving anything in the hands of Mr Jensen - because that day he proved his incompetence to whip for the Government. He did not even know what to do, or Mr Humphries did not tell him what was happening, or other Government members did not tell him what was happening. There was no approach from Mr Jensen other than to come over and threaten me if we supported Mr Moore's motion.
Mr Jensen: What were my words?
MR BERRY: "You will be sorry". They were your words, Mr Jensen.
Mr Jensen: Your words.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Jensen!
MR BERRY: The fact is that it was the incompetence of the Government members which led to the disarray in this Assembly. I hear Mr Duby laughing, and well he might. He must have some sort of mental telepathy. He was winging away while all of this was on; so how can he chuckle? He must be chuckling at his Government members. He should be chuckling particularly at the behaviour of Mr Collaery. If it were not so serious, it would be funny. It should
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