Page 921 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 17 June 1992
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Ms Follett: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: Mr Kaine interjected, "The Speaker is not interested in fact". I believe that that is a reflection on the Chair and must be withdrawn.
Mr Kaine: That is exactly the statement the Speaker made yesterday - she will rule irrespective of the veracity of the statement.
MR BERRY: Right; and she has ruled, and I withdraw any imputation of improper motives. But what I am saying to you is that, to the ordinary person in the street, the perception will be that Mrs Carnell, as the president of the Pharmacy Guild and a pharmacy owner in the ACT, is involved in a process of legislation which will result in higher incomes for pharmacists in the ACT. Even the Leader of the Opposition would consider that to be a conflict of interest.
Mr Kaine: Mr Berry, I think that what you are doing is quite shameful.
MR BERRY: And I would too, if I were you, because you are ashamed - and you should be ashamed. What I also point out to you is that, quite aside from the issue of conflict of interest, there is a committee - - -
Mr Kaine: Apart from anything else, you are deliberately using up private members' time; and this is quite deliberate, I am aware.
MR BERRY: I gave you the opportunity earlier. There is also the issue that the committee which has been put together by this Assembly to consider this matter is busily beavering away, looking at methadone programs all over the country, I suspect.
Mr Humphries: The world.
MR BERRY: Oh, the world. You never know where we are going. They are beavering away to come to a decision in relation to this matter. It seems to me arrogant in the extreme to now produce legislation which may or may not be a consideration of the committee. The committee may, dare I suggest, argue when it makes its report that there ought not to be legislation of this order. But why then - - -
Mr Humphries: That is no reason to discharge the Bill.
MR BERRY: I said that it was an aside. I say to members here that it is in their own interest to ensure that there can be no perception of a conflict of interest by members bringing legislation to this house for consideration. In this case - and I think many members here will agree - the ordinary person in the street who hears this debate could reasonably come to the conclusion that there is a conflict of interest. Mrs Carnell is the president of the Pharmacy Guild, she owns a pharmacy, and pharmacies will increase their income as a result of this legislation.
Mrs Carnell: Pharmacies approved by the board, not all pharmacies.
MR BERRY: That is right. But pharmacies, even your pharmacy, could - - -
Mrs Carnell: If I got approved.
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