Page 413 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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MR COLLAERY (Attorney-General) (9.01): I want to respond to a brief point. I endorse the comments that the reasonable people in the chamber have made this evening, Mr Speaker.
Mr Berry: Thanks, Bernard.
MR COLLAERY: It is a rhetorical comment that I did not include Mr Berry. Mr Speaker, the Australian Labor Party entered the debate led by the Leader of the Opposition earlier today, and it was rounded off by Mr Connolly. Their objective in this debate was not to present a statesmanlike Hansard for history. This day's debate will probably be the most read debate for some considerable time in political science areas in and around the Territory, because the structure of government in the Territory, for better or worse, has proven to be very interesting to people around the country. This Hansard will record a very snide but very typical attack on the Residents Rally and on me in particular by the Leader of the Opposition. Hell hath no fury.
Ms Follett: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Collaery is reflecting on a previous vote and debate. In fact I have not spoken on this motion.
MR COLLAERY: Oh, you cannot take it.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, I think that is a valid point. That was a previous debate, Mr Collaery.
MR COLLAERY: I will not go any further, Mr Speaker. The record stands. Mr Speaker, Ms Follett got to her feet straightaway to defend herself - the first point of order of this nature taken today. It demonstrates their extreme sensitivity. They have decided that they are not interested in the debate today. What they want to do is to score some of their tactical points today. They have read very selectively. I am sorry to see a legal colleague do that, because he would be put down smartly in another forum when he tried that.
Mr Speaker, I want to read into the record the next sentence after I said words to the effect that it is a good system if you are elected. There is a great danger when people come to this chamber and read selectively from transcripts and do not table the photocopied page. I believe that people are entitled to see that, and I challenge the members to table the full pages of those particular transcripts.
Mr Speaker, the comments made by the Leader of the Opposition and Mr Connolly were that, so far as I was concerned, the best type of electoral system was that which returned someone who is elected. Well, that is a truism. But at page 188 of the relevant transcript I went on to say:
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