Page 1519 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 April 1991
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I often read through Gavin Souter's book Acts of Parliament in spare moments in the Assembly. I have found a couple of things that reflect on this debate and the question of who really sees serious things. Curtin, the Prime Minister of the day, had his own problems. At a Caucus meeting in September 1942, according to the author of this work, Mr Curtin was giving a resume of the war position in New Guinea, Australian troops having recently begun a counteroffensive on the Kokoda Trail, when one of the Labor members present in Caucus, Rowley James, moved a motion to suspend standing orders to discuss beer supplies. That is what I call triviality, and I think Mr Connolly and certainly Mr Berry continue that regrettable streak in the Australian Labor Party when they cannot put their minds to what are central issues and values in society.
Ms Follett: Is this relevant?
MR COLLAERY: Ms Follett, who has avoided debate on this again - Miss Nip and Tuck - interjects "Is this relevant?". This is a very relevant discussion.
Ms Follett: I rise on a point of order, Mr Speaker, as you commented on Mr Berry's relevance, to say that Mr Collaery is not relevant.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Collaery, I ask you to address the Bill.
MR COLLAERY: I have almost concluded my remarks anyway, Mr Speaker. Ms Follett is clearly uneasy with this debate, coming as she does - - -
Ms Follett: I am; I am bored.
MR COLLAERY: She is bored. She is clear; she has put in the record that she is bored. That is another item on the record that we will use in due course. Again, in terms of the Labor Party's approach to the war, I am reminded in Gavin Souter's book, at page 372 - - -
Ms Follett: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. We are not debating the war; we are debating the game of two-up.
MR SPEAKER: I think you are straying a little, Mr Collaery.
MR COLLAERY: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I wanted that statement on the record. Ms Follett, coming from the Labor Left, is not prepared to debate the war or any aspect of it. That is all I wanted her to say and she has put it on the record.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
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