Page 1793 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 1 May 1991
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His only defence was to attack Mr Moore's motion by saying that there is really a sinister underlying agenda behind it. The sinister underlying agenda is that Mr Moore wants to slow down the process. Well, indeed he does; as does the Labor Opposition; as does the community. There is nothing sinister about that. This clearly is the major issue in community debate in this Territory - this, and the ripping into the hospital system.
The school closure issue is central to political debate. This issue should be on the agenda for as long as possible and the community ought to decide it at the ballot-box. That is the proper democratic process, particularly with a government that has no mandate to close schools. We have been through that issue time and time again, but I will just restate it briefly.
This is a government that is made up of the Liberal Party and one could expect that it would have adopted a school closure policy. They did not promise it in the election. They did not say, "Vote for us and we will rip into schools"; but, as people had the opportunity to look at Liberal governments elsewhere and as people were aware of the general philosophy of the Liberal Party here, one could not really complain at a Liberal government effecting a school closure policy. It is what you would expect. But this Government is in power only with the support of the Residents Rally, or at least some of the Residents Rally. As we know, some of the Residents Rally are still part of the Residents Rally party in government but not part of the Government.
A strange degree of political schizophrenia seems to operate within the Residents Rally, where it is possible to be a member of the government party but not a member of the Government.
Mr Collaery: It is called reform of the political process.
MR CONNOLLY: "Reform of the political process", says Mr Collaery. It is an extraordinary proposition.
Mrs Grassby: It is called funny business.
MR CONNOLLY: I think Mrs Grassby's definition, funny business, is far more accurate. The central issue is that this party, this Residents Rally, which had four members elected on a clear policy of not closing schools, in government is closing the schools. So there is clearly no mandate. The community was duped. They thought they were voting for a party that was promising not to close schools and found instead that they had voted for a party - - -
Mr Collaery: We had the same platform as you; exactly the same.
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