Page 2353 - Week 08 - Friday, 21 June 1991
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should be an effective opposition of political representatives of the electors who voted in elections against the government of the day. That is a very simple reason for it, and that is why the convention has developed. It creates an environment for good government because you have effective opposition.
I would have to say that it has yet to be proven that the Liberals, in opposition, will be effective enough to dislodge anybody on the other side of the house; certainly the Residents Rally will not; and neither will the Independent members, whatever they decide to do. But it is an important part of good government, and it is important for the Territory, that there be an effective opposition to ensure that both sides of the political spectrum are well represented and argued. It is important, of course, that they have resources to do that. That has been recognised by convention throughout the Commonwealth and over the history of the Westminster system - certainly since the 1920s.
What appals me about the situation we find ourselves in now is the behaviour of some of the members. It is very clear that all but four decided that a Leader of the Opposition was a healthy thing for the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. There is no question about that. Indeed, one of the four decided that he might even like to be the Leader of the Opposition - Mr Collaery.
Mr Collaery: Do not do that, mate; do not get us offside. Be warned, mate.
MR BERRY: Mr Collaery says, "Do not get us offside". Mr Collaery, we never ever thought you were in our pockets and, after today's events, we have seen more chicanery from the Residents Rally than we have seen in recent times.
Mr Collaery: Take care.
MR BERRY: Mr Collaery says, "Take care". I will not avoid the events of the last couple of days. You might wish to, but I will not avoid them; neither will I forget them. I suspect that the memory of the Liberal Party will be a long one, too, in terms of the behaviour of the Residents Rally.
What is most awkward about today's events, as far as the Labor Party is concerned - being a supporter of having an effective opposition in the parliament - is that, having always supported that position, we have seen a member accept nomination and have himself elected without telling this parliament what his intentions were. From our point of view, if the majority of the Opposition clearly wanted him to be Leader of the Opposition, I think we would have been stuck with it. But this member who has been elected has said, after he was elected, that not only will he not take the title but also he will not do the job, and he is deciding on where the money will go, without authority. He has no authority to determine where the money goes.
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