Page 6277 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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Moving from political aspects, let me say that we need to look for some humour in this debate. I see that there is a suburb of Harrison, named after that great precursor of the Rally, the late Peter Harrison. Some wry wit said to me the other day, "I wonder whether the planners have put a cul-de-sac in Harrison named Moore Place". I am wondering whether that will happen, or whether Clarrie Hermes Drive will have a Ray O'Shannassy Place. We need to have a little bit of wit in what we do in this Assembly, and sometimes I think we take it all too seriously.
The process in this house in the last few days of watching members write Christmas cards has been something to behold. I think we have also met and become known to a great many people. It remains to be seen how they will stick with us, because we have often stuck with them in difficult times in this Assembly. We have pushed their interests and one is sometimes obliged to represent the lucky, the unlikeable, the defendants and all of those other people in the community. I think we have done it well, as a community group here in this chamber, and I am pleased and honoured to have been part of the historic First Assembly in the ACT.
Hon. Lionel Murphy : Valedictory
MRS GRASSBY (7.40): My speech is not going to be quite like Mr Collaery's. I rise today to address the Assembly about a gross abuse of parliamentary privilege. I refer to the cowardly attack by the National Party Senator Bill O'Chee on the late senator and justice of the High Court, Lionel Murphy. Senator O'Chee made this attack in the early hours of the morning in the Senate just recently.
Under the protection of parliamentary privilege, Senator Bill O'Chee gloated about the death of Lionel Murphy and also accused Justice Murphy of corruption. Senator O'Chee, who, I gather, is known as the lunch monitor to the rest of the Senate, may be excused for his youthful high spirits by his own party, but not by those of us who understand why parliamentary privilege exists. It does not exist to attack those who cannot defend themselves, and for this reason I feel that Senator O'Chee's remarks are disgusting.
I have not risen to defend Lionel Murphy. I do not think that is necessary, as his record is beyond reproach. However, I am going to list some of Lionel Murphy's achievements and let history decide which of these men has contributed more to Australia: Murphy, the reformist High Court judge or the Queensland senator, with the honour of coming from the most corrupt branch of the most corrupt party in Australia. The Fitzgerald inquiry proved that.
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