Page 1305 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 16 April 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
doubt there because I am unaware of which four Ministers of the Crown have made that accusation of him. I am also unaware of over what matter it was that he was alleged to be being too persistent. But, Mr Speaker, I regret to say that that is the only statement in this invitation of which there could be a possibility of truth.
It gives me no pleasure to bring forward this matter, Mr Speaker. I think that the Assembly generally has been most tolerant of Mr Stevenson's views and actions in relation to a number of subjects; but when it comes to issuing this kind of an invitation, which is quite untrue, I think that that reflects on the whole Assembly. The substance of the invitation, about holding the balance of power and the knocking back, as he puts it, of a ministerial package, also trivialises and brings into disrepute the whole of this Assembly. As I say, it gives me no pleasure to move this motion, but I trust that members will support it.
MR KAINE (Chief Minister) (5.10): Mr Speaker, I join with the Leader of the Opposition in my difficulty with this action that Mr Stevenson has taken and what, clearly, is nothing but false advertising. Just as Ms Follett does, I take issue with the claims. As Ms Follett has quite clearly pointed out, there was never a point at which Mr Stevenson ever held the balance of power in this Assembly. He overrates himself, or somebody else overrates him; I am not too sure which.
Secondly, he was certainly never offered a ministerial package by me. I would remind Mr Stevenson, and everybody else in the Assembly, that there have been only two people in this Assembly who could offer anybody a ministerial post. The first was Ms Follett and the second was me. I am sure Ms Follett did not and I can assure the house that I did not.
The third point is his statement that he is a man "whom four Ministers of the Crown have accused of being too persistent". Well, that is equally as untrue as the other two statements because I presume he means the four Ministers in this Assembly. I do not think any of us have ever stated that he is too persistent. I do not think so. I believe he is an opportunist - he jumps on the odd band wagon that comes his way - but apart from that he is a little bit flaky, let alone persistent.
I do not know who it is that is making these claims on Mr Stevenson's behalf, but I think that Mr Stevenson would do himself a favour by publicly disavowing this document. By getting to his feet, shortly, and saying that he has never made these claims, he will do himself a favour, he will do this Assembly a favour and he will do the people who elected him a favour. I would hope that he would be a man of principle who would set the public right on these matters.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .