Page 2036 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 8 September 1992
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MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Kaine. I think you were correct in saying that he had not actually sought leave. I sought leave on his behalf. Please continue, Mr Berry.
MR BERRY: As I said, Madam Speaker, this is a most foolish position that the member opposite has laid claim to. He has claimed that the Government has tried to interfere with the media. That is not true. I should refer to those other matters which he pointed to and which appeared in other areas of the press. I do not have the articles in front of me; but, as I recall, they related to bureaucrats interfering with or putting pressure, as it was reported, on individual journalists. This is an entirely different matter.
This is a matter of documents which are the property of the Government being stolen and given away. I expressed to the Chief Executive of the Board of Health the view that I wanted some action taken to ensure that documents of a confidential nature remain confidential. I think that is a reasonable request to ask of an executive. I would argue repeatedly, Madam Speaker, that any government is entitled to expect confidentiality of government documents and documents which are intended to become government property in due course through the bureaucracy dealing with them.
Mr Kaine: But you did not think so when you were in opposition.
MR BERRY: No, it is an entirely different matter. Mr Kaine, to say that I have ever defended anybody who stole documents from the Government is a lie. If somebody is saying that I have defended people who have stolen documents, they are lying.
Mr Kaine: Nobody has said that, but since you are so touchy about it - - -
MR BERRY: I am not touchy at all. The Chief Executive has taken a decision to call in the police to investigate the matter. My colleague Mr Connolly - - -
Mr De Domenico: On whose direction?
Ms Follett: On her own direction. She is in charge.
Mr Kaine: So on her request they came and investigated you. That is a turnaround.
MR BERRY: The Chief Executive took the decision. It was reported to me on Monday morning that the police had been notified. My colleague Mr Connolly will report in relation to the police investigation and I need to say no more of that. Another big one that has been talked about here today is the suggestion that a summons had been served on the fifth floor. That is not true, but that is not uncommon for the Liberals. The investigation will - - -
Mr Humphries: I said "a warrant".
MR BERRY: That is not true either, and that is not uncommon either. Essentially, what was done was a normal administrative approach to documents which have been stolen from the Government.
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