Page 2138 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 29 May 1991
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If you wanted any demonstration of my point you had only to hear the Residents Rally president, David Read, on the radio this morning when he was supporting the Government and the Rally's stand within the Government. They were certainly not going to support our proposals this morning, so both Mr Collaery and the Rally wanted to be part of this Government. He did not resign; they did not resign. They did not stand up on their principles. None of them did the decent thing.
Mr Moore: Except Trevor Kaine.
MR WOOD: Except Trevor Kaine who, according to his principles - and I respect those - said, "I can no longer tolerate this man in my ministry. We have come to a parting of the ways". Mr Kaine has stuck to the principles of the Westminster system and political processes; Mr Collaery did not. Mr Collaery did not sever the link. He did not say, "I can no longer continue"; let me emphasise that.
Mr Collaery: He did, Bill.
MR WOOD: You will now go out and try to portray to the community that you are a hero, that you have now come to the stage where you must stand on your principles. After 18 months of repudiation you will now try to portray it in that way. You cannot succeed because a firing is a firing is a firing. You were dumped; so do not try to pretend otherwise. The Alliance has no claim to leadership on the issues that it has espoused, because it has repudiated them repeatedly.
Mr Collaery has no claim to a new, reinvigorated, Rally leadership, because that does not exist. The Rally is thoroughly discredited, and it and its leader have been booted out of the Government. Let me say that so that you understand it - I know that you do understand it - so that you do not now go out into the community and try to portray otherwise. There are no principles in what you have done. There is no integrity and no decency. The Rally is quite discredited. Do not forget that - the community will not - so do not try to maintain any other argument. You have been sacked, and you are thoroughly discredited.
MR JENSEN (11.14): Mr Speaker, today we see a Liberal leader who, unfortunately, was not prepared to consider rationally and discuss the issues relating to some very important factors reflecting the wishes of the people of the ACT.
Mr Wood: So he booted you out.
MR JENSEN: Yes, Mr Wood; Mr Collaery was sacked. But why?
Mr Wood: Because he would not resign; that is why.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Wood! You have had your turn.
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