Page 88 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 12 February 1991
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it not true, but on your own constituent document, your own accord - the constitution of this ramshackle Government - it is clearly stated as an objective. So we have to regard that with the contempt which is due to it.
I come to my final point. I was amused to hear once again tonight that the Government is endorsing the proposition of an administrator for the ACT. Mr Humphries looks forward to a vice-regal representative and administrator of the ACT. Given this Government in which anything is possible, I suppose it is not beyond the realms of credibility that we will see - should these reforms be endorsed by the Federal Government and should the position of administrator be created - a person who stood for election on a No Self Government ticket being appointed as administrator of the ACT.
I see that the Minister for Finance and Urban Services is perking up. His eyes are looking bright. The thought of a vice-regal position is open. I suppose the only disappointment for the Minister for Finance and Urban Services is that, following the recent agreement between the Commonwealth and the States to do away with imperial honours, the possibility of Sir Craig, or indeed Duke Duby, as the first administrator of the ACT as the gift of this ramshackle Government is no longer possible. But, of course, that will not happen for two reasons. Firstly, the Federal Government clearly would regard the position of an administrator of the ACT with the contempt that is its due and, secondly, this Government will clearly not last long enough to implement that reform. But it amuses me that they are still thinking about this bizarre proposition.
MRS GRASSBY (9.49): I rise to support my colleagues on this matter, particularly in light of the fact that there is no woman Minister in the Government. When Mrs Nolan came over to speak to us I told her that I would fully support her for the position. She came over to rally around us and we said that we would fully support her for the job. We think that she should have the job. After all, it would be very nice to look across there and at least see a woman in the ministry instead of who is there. Unfortunately that is not going to happen because Mr Collaery has already told us on the ABC that it is Mr Jensen's job. It is a job for the boys and Mr Jensen is going to get it. We all know that Mr Collaery does not like yes men around him! He likes everybody to tell him the truth, like his senior private secretary did - and then he sacked him.
He wants somebody around him who will always tell him the truth, so I suppose that will be Mr Jensen. It is very sad to see that it is just jobs for the boys - or snouts in the trough, as it is well known - but unfortunately they are going to go even further. As we have just heard, it could be Duke Duby, Lady Carmel, or even Sir Bernard. We could put a little brandy bottle around your neck and you could
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