Page 1656 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 30 April 1991
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Where was Mr Berry then? What did he do about that plea for help? Of course, he turned a deaf ear to it. That is what he did. He turned a deaf ear to that claim, that plea for help. Before he comes here telling us how wonderfully compassionate he is about the Board of Health, he should think very carefully about his own actions in government. I have been accused, or the Chief Minister has been accused, of seeing Mr Bissett off - - -
Mr Kaine: This is a censure motion against me, too, you understand.
MR HUMPHRIES: Oh, is it? I did not realise that. I will adjust my remarks accordingly. We both, apparently, have been accused of being in some conspiracy or of having some role in the demise of Mr Bissett.
I have to say that I really wonder whether Mr Bissett was one of those unfortunate heads of administration whom Ms Follett had targeted for the chop under her next government, whenever that might be - perhaps next century. Perhaps Mr Bissett is lucky that he has escaped the axe that Ms Follett is about to wield when she next has the chance. We know that her Government's actions are very clear. When she next has the opportunity - which I hope will not be very soon - she will be taking a lot of personal angst out against many public servants in our administration. I have to wonder whether Mr Bissett would have been one of those poor unfortunates who would have got the chop under her. So I think the crocodile tears we see from the Opposition are rather to be scorned.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the Opposition have chosen a new tactic in the course of looking at the issues raised out of this. They tried to explain why it was that there was no criticism of the Minister in this report. They picked up that there was not any criticism of the Minister or the Government in this report. Why is that the case? The answer, according to the Opposition, is that Mr Enfield's job was a job created by the Government and he would not have criticised the Government which appointed him. What Mr Berry is doing here, very clearly, is denigrating the record and integrity of a very fine former senior public servant.
Ms Follett: Rubbish!
MR HUMPHRIES: No, it is not rubbish. Mr Berry is claiming that the only reason that there is not criticism of the Government in this report is that there is some serious problem with Mr Enfield's capacity to deal with that issue. That is a complete and utter falsehood. If that had been the issue, Mr Enfield would have said so. I have no doubt about that whatsoever. I think Mr Berry should be very wary about making those sorts of claims against people who have done a very good job in this instance.
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