Page 756 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 March 1991
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Mr Berry, of course, or the Treasurer at the time, Ms Follett, had to supplement the health and community services budget at the end of 1989 by about $15m. The record shows that. So, she was into supplementation. If you look across the nation, and if you look at budgets across the country, you will see that, towards the end of each of the budget assessment periods in any government, supplementation comes in if untoward matters or matters unanticipated have occurred.
Mr Deputy Speaker, Mr Connolly made a great fuss about the budget in my area; but, of course, some of the matters that occurred in my area relate to - among other things - a new award and career structure, which the Labor Party, through its connections with the unions, fully supported. They are issues that all governments understand and supplement budgets for. I listened carefully to Mr Berry's speech; I could not determine what the actual offence was in Mr Humphries' bailiwick that justified a motion of this gravity.
Ms Follett: Well, he will tell you again.
MR COLLAERY: The Leader of the Opposition says, Mr Deputy Speaker, "We will tell you at the end". That is no way to argue a case. You argue it at the end, not at the beginning. It is part of the ALP penchant for little gamesmanship things; they will get the last say because Mr Berry closes this debate.
I did not hear a thing that could possibly justify censure of my colleague Mr Humphries. One of the speakers across the way referred to the fact that in some comments at the end of a regular press conference - some jocular comments on my part - I used these words, "Fortunately, I have not been ill lately and have not needed hospital admission". No explanation has been given about the context; but, if another Minister, one of my collegiate Ministers said, "Unfortunately, there are still drunks on the footpath", I would not take that as an offence. The fact that as Minister in charge of liquor licensing I cannot eradicate drunkenness or alcoholism in the community completely is not a direct personal criticism of me. Similarly, the fact that Mr Humphries' beds in the hospital system are full is not a direct criticism of him.
It is an acknowledgment - and let me move on from that, Mr Deputy Speaker - of incipient problems in the hospital system throughout the country and, although it could have been more delicately said, it was a statement of frustration, not of personal criticism of my colleague Mr Humphries.
Mr Kaine: I would never accuse you of indelicacy, Bernard.
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