Page 558 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 1991
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Jensen is doing anything improper. He is fulfilling his role as an Executive Deputy, assiduously, and as a member of the Government. But it is then impossible for Mr Jensen to be seen by the community as an impartial chair on this area.
In a statement that Mr Berry has added to this committee report, we have very carefully put our objections, and I would really urge the Government, and Mr Collaery in particular, to read that and to look at the statement of principle. The clear legal principle that Mr Collaery is very well aware of is bias, and the important need, not just that impartiality be there in fact, but that it be seen to be there. That is the clear principle. I would like him to address his mind to that - not to this hysterical attack on Mr Berry, this hysterical ranting and raving about firemen's unions and all the other nonsense he was coming out with.
Mr Berry: It is a non-issue.
MR CONNOLLY: As Mr Berry says, it is a non-issue. They will not take on the important issue of principle that Mr Berry and the Labor Party have raised; instead, they attack the person. The area in which that is most important and best exemplified is in the new reference that Mr Jensen has taken on today and the statement that he has just made today relating to a new inquiry. That new inquiry is in relation to this vexed issue of siting. Looking at the statements made on the MPI yesterday, it has clearly arisen because of this difficulty in Calwell. That is the difficulty. That is a constituent issue, where Mr Jensen has very assiduously fulfilled his responsibility as an Executive Deputy for planning. He has been out - - -
Mr Jensen: And as a member.
MR CONNOLLY: And as a member of the Government. He has been out as the Government spokesperson and as a member, as have Mr Stevenson and I. But, as Executive Deputy for planning, he has been there to see the community; he has been a Government spokesperson; he has expressed the Government view; he has answered its questions; he is - and I commend him for this - using his best efforts to mediate. He is seen by the community as the Government spokesperson, the Executive Deputy for planning. Now he is taking on, as a term of reference for his committee, an inquiry into that very issue on which he has been out in the community and in the media, the papers, as the Government spokesperson. It is an intolerable position to put Mr Jensen in.
Mr Jensen: It has to do with signage. It has nothing to do with Calwell.
MR CONNOLLY: We are talking about siting. I have not heard an argument from the Government that responds to our concern about the principle. Instead, its members have merely ranted and raved about the Labor Party not wanting
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