Page 5073 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 27 November 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Socialist Workers Alliance action group planning the protest? If he did not seek police intelligence from the excellent services available to him, why did he not do that and attempt to use the good offices of his left wing Government to negotiate a truce and an arrangement, as an open consultative government would? Further, has Mr Connolly - - -
MR SPEAKER: Mr Collaery, I believe that you are debating the issue.
MR COLLAERY: He likes big questions, Mr Speaker. He has not objected.
MR SPEAKER: I am. Please ask a precise question.
MR COLLAERY: I have noted your objection, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: I apologise, Mr Collaery! Please get on with it.
MR COLLAERY: Further, I ask Mr Connolly whether, unlike the instructions I gave the police, he authorised the use of police dogs this morning? Is he aware that at 0800 hours or thereabouts a person was bitten, on my advice? I assure the house that it was extremely painful.
Mrs Grassby: I will tell you what: If they were bitten by you they would need to go to the doctor straightaway.
MR COLLAERY: It depends on who bites you, Mrs Grassby. The person who took the bite, I am advised, is one Anthony Kelly. Will the Minister undertake to determine how, in this day and age, police dogs are biting citizens - peaceful protesters, as that person claims to have been - sitting on the road at the junction of Randwick and Flemington roads?
MR CONNOLLY: Mr Collaery made four points, I think. It is sometimes hard to tell. His first two points related to police intelligence. He would well understand that no government will confirm or deny any matters in relation to police intelligence passing between a police force and a Minister. That is a clearly established practice in all governments - State, Federal and territorial. I say no more on that.
He then asked questions about negotiations between the Government and the protesters. I can certainly confirm that, from the very outset of the planning for these demonstrations, there have been extensive discussions between the Government, my office in particular, the organisers of the protest movement and the Australian Federal Police. There has been an Australian Federal Police liaison operation ongoing for some time between the police and the protesters, and separately there have been discussions between my office and the protesters.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .