Page 2200 - Week 08 - Thursday, 10 September 1992
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Madam Speaker, the events at the Canberra Times this week were only one example of the ongoing paranoia of this Government. The problem is not a new one. When a member of Mr Humphries's staff went to collect for me a press statement from Mr Berry just prior to the election he was told in no uncertain terms to go away because "you are the enemy". In fact they were not the words used. The language was far stronger than that. When I finally met with Mr Berry in his office after the election, after a three-week wait for a meeting, he again told us that we were the enemy. This meeting took three weeks to arrange. I had asked for a full briefing with Mr Berry and his senior bureaucrats. I got to speak to Mr Berry and his personal assistant. We were then told that we would have no opportunity to be briefed by public servants from within ACT Health and, in fact - - -
Members interjected.
Mr De Domenico: Madam Speaker, I am finding it increasingly difficult to hear Mrs Carnell because of Mr Lamont. Could you please tell him to stop having a debate with Mr Humphries?
MADAM SPEAKER: From my observation, there seems to be a secondary conversation going on. Could I point out that you are in the chamber. It is Mrs Carnell who has the floor.
MRS CARNELL: As I said, we were then told that we would not be briefed by public servants from within ACT Health and, in fact, we could wait until Estimates Committee time. We would have a perfect chance then, we were told. In fairness, this approach is different from the more open and consultative approach adopted by Mr Connolly, who is always happy to give briefings to opposition members.
Mr Connolly: Through my office.
MRS CARNELL: Yes, unlike Mr Berry, who will not allow that to happen. Bureaucrats seem to be under instructions not to speak to us, or risk losing their jobs - or that is what they say. As I said in question time, when we phone somebody in the public service, we are told to immediately contact the Minister's office, even when we are talking about factual, publicly available information.
Mr Berry: Fair enough, too.
MRS CARNELL: Mr Berry says, "Fair enough". Great! In all cases we are simply seeking factual information. Is this Labor Government saying that we are not entitled to make inquiries on behalf of our constituents for factual information? Has the Government decided to make Canberra's own public service inaccessible to the people of Canberra? I think this approach is high-handed in the extreme and certainly not the hallmark of a consultative government. It contrasts dramatically with the guidelines under the Alliance Government, when members were welcome to make such phone calls for factual information.
This Labor Government's approach is that it should very strongly control or, it seems, stop the flow of information. This very strongly suggests the approach of a government which has an abnormal tendency to suspect and mistrust others. There is a medical name for this condition. It is called paranoia.
Mr Berry: Wow! Good one!
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