Page 415 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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MR COLLAERY: That was an honest answer we gave the chairman. If one goes to the Australian Encyclopaedia - - -
Mr Berry: That is right. We never said that you were lying.
MR COLLAERY: Now, come on; take your medicine now, Mr Berry.
Mr Berry: We never said that you were lying.
MR COLLAERY: Come on, open up; big spoon, big spoon, here it comes.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR COLLAERY: Here it is. I refer to the Australian Encyclopaedia, Mr Speaker, page 222. The heading is "Australian Labor Party". It comes after the Australian Institute of Sport. I do not know whether that is appropriate. Mr Speaker, it talks about the early history of the Australian Labor Party. It starts in the 1850s. It says:
The early Labor type parties varied from one colony to another, but shared some broad characteristics.
It goes on to say:
Labor also sought the support of smaller farmers or would-be farmers and metal miners, proposing closer-settlement legislation and the right to mine on private property. In addition, of course, they had many policies not directed to any specific occupational interest, proposing changes of a generally democratic or egalitarian kind, such as electoral reforms, old-age pensions, and extensions in State education.
It also states:
... they made provision for trade unions to become part of their organisation, though they also set up local branches made up of individual members.
Mr Speaker, that is the genesis of any political action. That is the genesis of the Labor Party, according to this history. That is the genesis of the third force in this Territory, which is lending itself to credible politics in the chamber right now - a chamber that has an overwhelming majority that clearly has a mandate to govern. Mr Speaker, I believe that we have demonstrated that not one decent argument has come across the house from the Labor Party in this debate today. They have been knocked down on every point.
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