Page 3310 - Week 11 - Thursday, 12 September 1991
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I reject totally the notion that this was a stunt. I asked Mr Jensen today to speak to various people and sort out a motion. He drafted it; he put the date on it. I did not have anything to do with the 30 November date. I supported whatever our whip had sorted out. I entirely agree, on reflection, that there is not sufficient time; but that defeats the very argument that we should use an Assembly standing committee. If the formal inquiry to 30 November did not have sufficient time, as Labor said, why do they think an Assembly committee would have any more time, given the short span left in the Assembly?
I recommend that the Assembly to cool this argument a little, be reasonable, and allow us to have the inquiry. I think Mr Moore should reflect a little and see that it will not go to the HIV committee. How about supporting this inquiry on a clear understanding that it is not going to take up a lot of public funds?
MR BERRY (Minister for Health and Minister for Sport) (5.46): It will take up a lot of public funds. If you are going to have an inquiry such as this, it has to be done properly. Let us not forget that there have been any number of these sorts of inquiries in the past. Who has got the answers so far?
Ms Maher: What about the money from Ainslie tip?
MR BERRY: Ms Maher asks, "What about the money from Ainslie tip?". That is one of the big mistakes of Craig Duby, and thankfully that has been rectified.
Mr Kaine: You cannot take the money from the Duby Dome because that is already up.
MR BERRY: I am very glad that he picked up the recommendations in our 1989 report. That was wise of him.
The real problem for the Assembly is how much money it is prepared to commit to this independent inquiry. None of the supporters of the inquiry knows how much it will cost; none of them has suggested where the money will come from or what services will have to be cut to accommodate it. There is not one mention of that. This is totally irresponsible, and they ought to reflect on their thinking. Mr Collaery made it quite clear that this is a stunt and no more than that. It is about the lead-up to an election, so that he can dig up something that he might be able to run on.
Mr Duby: This is the fourth time you have run this argument. Have you any fresh opinions?
MR BERRY: Mr Duby complains about this issue being raised over and over again. I hope he does not try no self-government again. It probably will not work this time. We will find out next Monday what his next stunt is.
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