Page 5225 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
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bluntly, "No, not while I am away". If Mr Humphries had persisted, he should have made it quite clear that he would not stay as a Minister if he was going away at the same time. That is how important this issue is.
We seem to have some trouble in getting this ignorant mob opposite to understand the simple, long-established procedures that apply. Mr Humphries should not go away and remain a Minister. We have seen a clear lack of leadership by the Chief Minister of this Territory. By going away for so long himself and by condoning Mr Humphries' trip, he has displayed no judgment and very, very weak leadership; in fact, no leadership at all. He is not in control of the situation, as we have seen so often in this chamber in recent weeks. He is not in control. We do not have a Chief Minister with any sort of authority at all. We have a Government that is going from crisis to crisis, outside this parliament and inside. It is time the Chief Minister took control of events if he wants to claim that title.
These Ministers do not deserve to go away. They have made a mess of the last year. There is one thing that they should do: they should stay home and do their homework. It is about time that Mr Humphries got on top of the situation in education and in health. He has never been well briefed; he has never known the answers to questions. He should stay here and try to get on top of things so that perhaps the coming year will not be as disastrous as the last year. Mr Kaine, likewise, should stay here and somehow try to get together this strange coalition that he has, so that it functions in some formal, proper way and in an efficient way. That is what they should be doing. They should have their heads down over the holiday period. Get on top of it. Do your job. It is the one you are paid for; it is the one you worked hard to get. It is a shame that people do not work hard once they get there.
The Government is in a mess. Mr Speaker, we can look back and see what a bad year it has been for the Government and for the ACT. This Government does not need to make the same sort of mess again in 1991. We know that things will change in 1992, but let us see whether we can get some improvement in the coming year.
MR COLLAERY (Deputy Chief Minister) (4.21): Mr Speaker, I am surprised that Mr Wood would choose to waste the Assembly's time with this matter of public importance. I am also surprised, though I am new to politics, at how readily Mr Wood would slip a boomerang or a potential boomerang into the political agenda of this Assembly. There may well be times when members of any future government - not in any short future time - may have - - -
Mr Wood: Half the Cabinet going away? You are so greedy to be Chief Minister that you will accept it.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
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