Page 2052 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 8 September 1992
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR BERRY: Madam Speaker, I will deal with the issue again, just so that this - - -
Mr Moore: On a point of order, Madam Speaker, taking your own comment: In that case, Mr Berry has, throughout his speech, been reflecting on a vote of the Assembly. Is that what you are suggesting? In that case he should be asked to refrain.
MR BERRY: Madam Speaker, it may clarify the issue for you if I explain to those opposite who have selective deafness: I have said that a reasonable person in the street could draw the conclusion that Mrs Carnell has a conflict of interest in this matter.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Berry, I will simply ask you to withdraw any possible inference that you made an improper imputation on Mrs Carnell's - - -
MR BERRY: That is sensible; I am perfectly happy with that. I withdraw anything I might have said that could have created that sort of impression amongst the nervous members opposite. I will say again that a reasonable person in the street could draw the conclusion, in my view - - -
Mr Kaine: Madam Speaker, he just withdrew, at your request, and he is now repeating the same allegation.
MADAM SPEAKER: I believe that he was drawing a distinction, but it is not necessary to do that any further, Mr Berry. We accept your withdrawal.
MR BERRY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. It seems that they understand, though they may be agitated about it.
Mr Kaine: We are no more touchy on the subject than you are.
MR BERRY: You ought to be touchy, Mr Kaine, because it is your member who is bringing this forward. The odium that has to be borne by this place has been caused by your member. You ought to discipline them a bit more. Instead of letting them run you, you ought to run them. You are supposed to be the manager there. Can you not manage your affairs in the Liberal Party? You ought to be able to bring legislation to this Assembly without bringing the whole Assembly into discredit.
Mr De Domenico: On a point of order, Madam Speaker, I respectfully suggest that Mr Berry's comments be confined to the point at hand, which is Mrs Carnell's Bill, which is now Mr Berry's Bill.
MADAM SPEAKER: That would be a lot easier if there were no further interjections. Mr Berry, please continue.
MR BERRY: If I can summarise, the legislation that is proposed by the Government is, essentially, legislation aimed at maintaining a methadone program within the public sector. So the choice for people in this Assembly is whether they privatise or whether they maintain the public sector for the provision of services to all in the community who need them. That is, you take the choice between affordability and access and privatisation, where it has been shown over and over again that access is limited. There is no question about that.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .