Page 5334 - Week 17 - Tuesday, 3 December 1991
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I table, Mr Speaker, a request for the consideration of a matter of public importance, together with three earlier examples of Mr Collaery's signature, none of which match today's signature.
MR SPEAKER: I will make a statement based on my - - -
Mr Collaery: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am not prepared to allow the word "forgery" on the record, even for the time that it takes for you to seek an opinion. I ask that you ask Mr Berry to withdraw that word and use the words "alleged forgery". It will be his allegation, Mr Speaker. That is the convention of the house. When our staff - - -
Mr Connolly: Did you sign it?
Mr Collaery: Mr Speaker, we will deal with this in due course. It is an irrelevancy. People in the house know full well the degree of irrelevancy, Mr Speaker. I ask that you rule that the word "forgery" be taken out of Mr Berry's statement, that he be asked to withdraw it, and that he put in the words "alleged forgery". That is the standard of debate in this house. Then we will debate that issue any time Mr Berry likes.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, I would uphold that objection.
Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, may I speak to the point of order? Mr Speaker, in the words that I used in bringing this matter to your attention, I made no reference to Mr Collaery in relation to the forged member's signature. What I did say, Mr Speaker, was that the three sample signatures that I put before the house and tabled today do not match the signature on the lodgment document.
Mr Collaery: So, you mentioned my name. They bear my name.
Mr Connolly: Obviously, you did not forge it because it is purportedly your signature.
Mr Collaery: Mr Speaker, may I address that point of order?
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Collaery, you do not have the call. Mr Berry is still on his feet.
Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, I am prepared to withdraw the word "forged" and replace that with the words "with a signature apparently not the member's signature".
Mr Collaery: Mr Speaker, Mr Berry just said that he did not allege that it was me, but he tabled three documents bearing my name; so, clearly, that was an attempt to mislead the house.
Mr Connolly: Oh, don't be silly!
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