Page 1314 - Week 05 - Thursday, 25 June 1992
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MR LAMONT (4.07): I heard an interjection from across the floor, "Do you want to defend yourself?". I had not realised that you were pontificating again today, Gary. As was explained to your Whip, you need to have a look at the chronology of events before you start pointing the finger at anybody, Mr Humphries - something that you do not normally do, but something that you should be doing. On the afternoon in question, following Mr Westende's fairly lengthy dissertation on the Animal Welfare Bill, I indicated that I would speak next, and I did so. I went on to say, basically as a debating point, that I was aware that a document had been prepared, not unlike the one that lies on Mr Moore's table today.
Mr De Domenico: From which you quoted verbatim.
MR LAMONT: Not unlike the one that Mr Moore quotes from today - - -
Mr De Domenico: Verbatim.
MR LAMONT: Excuse me. That is one of the two pages of the document that I had in my possession in my office. As I understand, it was two pages, from memory - - -
Mr De Domenico: Three.
MR LAMONT: Three, was it? Thank you for that. Maybe you would like to table the other two pages as well. I had a document which I quite clearly quoted from. I quoted from a particular part - it is recorded in Hansard - suggesting that it was an ACIL document. If you recall, the only time that the Liberals have had any advice of any substance it has come from a document which was leaked and which was tabled - I think Mr Moore had it in his possession at the time - with a "With compliments" slip from ACIL. It told the Liberal Party that it should take an opposing view on every single issue that the Labor Party raises and how to do so, irrespective of the merits of the case - a bit like the Animal Welfare Bill. So, to draw that same comparison I used that quote and went on.
We then went on with some toing-and-froing in relation to what the document was. I had a comprehensive speech note prepared off the document which I had in my possession but not in this house, part of which is similar to this.
Mr De Domenico: Similar?
MR LAMONT: Similar to this.
Mr De Domenico: Exactly the same.
MR LAMONT: Well, I am sorry; this document is not the entire document, so I am saying that it is similar to this document.
Mr Kaine: How come the words that you used are not in that document that you tabled?
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! Mr Lamont has the floor. Let Mr Lamont speak.
MR LAMONT: The extract I used came off this page, and the quote - - -
Mr De Domenico: Which page?
MR LAMONT: This one.
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