Page 930 - Week 03 - Thursday, 14 March 1991
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MR KAINE: The Liberal Party is not in government at the Federal level. It was not the Liberal Party that gave us the d'Hondt system; it was the Labor Government. I see that the acolytes of the Labor Party are nodding their heads from the gallery. They agree with me entirely. It was a Labor Government that gave us the d'Hondt system and it is a Labor Government that cannot unscramble it now. Do not blame the Opposition. Blame your own mates in the Federal Parliament, who foisted the system on us in the first place.
Mr Berry: You should stay off the sauce at lunchtime.
MR KAINE: If you do not like it, I suggest that you get yourself over to the Federal Parliament; that you tell your mates at the Federal Parliament that you do not like it; and that you demand that it be changed, and changed in accordance with the wishes of the people who live in the ACT, not the wishes of somebody who lives in Hobart, Brisbane or some place else. I am delighted that Ms Follett has suddenly seen the light and accepted what everybody else has been saying for at least two years - that a referendum is a good idea. Get over there and tell your mates that it is a good idea. While you are over there, tell them that since they created this shambles it would be a good idea if they paid for the referendum as well.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, before we proceed, I ask you to withdraw that aside you made earlier.
Mr Berry: What was that?
MR SPEAKER: That the Chief Minister should stay off the sauce at lunchtime.
Mr Berry: I did not say "the Chief Minister". I did not say that the Chief Minister should stay off the sauce. I said, "You should stay off the sauce".
MR SPEAKER: Who should?
Mr Berry: I said "you should". I did not say anything about the Chief Minister.
MR SPEAKER: Order! What are you up to, Mr Berry?
Mr Berry: I am not up to anything.
MR SPEAKER: It seems that you certainly are. I heard you say "he should", and I assume - - -
Mr Berry: If he was on the sauce he should stay off it at lunchtime.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you for that observation as well, but you are being outrageous.
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