Page 2223 - Week 07 - Thursday, 6 June 1991
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He speaks well, as we have seen today. He has a good grasp of the principles of accounting and economic management. In that area, he is professionally better qualified than other members of the Assembly. He also has excellent experience first in the armed forces and subsequently in business. He performs his public duties well. But so, too, might it be said of many other members of the Assembly that they would also be excellent Chief Ministers. He is also the selected head of one of the larger political parties in the Assembly.
But, unfortunately for Mr Kaine and for the ACT, the ship of state went on the rocks in the month of May. We all watched as the unfortunate confrontation between the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister erupted, beginning with the ill-advised statement at the CARD lunch. The joint party room had again been bypassed, as I had seen several times. Decisions were declared before consultation. Others have made mention of this, and I endorse their comments. This arbitrary process continued to the point where Mr Kaine formally dismissed Mr Collaery and therefore, by association, Mr Jensen. All three Residents Rally members found themselves again on the back benches.
At that point - at the point of that dismissal - the Kaine-Collaery Government was at an end; any commitment I had to the Kaine Government was over, and any promise of continuing support had been negated. The matter then escalated beyond a vote of censure to a formal vote of no confidence.
It gives me no pleasure to be involved in this vote of no confidence, but Mr Kaine has to know that our Rally executive of 15 members - that is 12 and the three MLAs - was only one vote short of being unanimous on this matter - 14 out of 15. I repeat my acknowledgment of Mr Kaine's good qualities; but he will be the first to see that, as far as the Residents Rally is concerned, he forfeited that good opinion at the moment he arbitrarily took away Mr Collaery's commission as a Minister. Again, where was the accord, which I had seen violated on previous occasions, and one violation of which had preceded my own resignation from his Government? I have also to remind him of our differences over schools and school sites, over many planning and leasing issues, and especially over that planning issue related to Civic Square and section 19. Alas, we seem to be irrevocably opposed on that issue.
In personal terms, I continue to wish Mr Kaine well; but as a member of the Residents Rally I cannot now continue to support him as Chief Minister. I therefore support this motion.
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