Page 2202 - Week 08 - Thursday, 10 September 1992
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There has been no action on these very important issues. But when I brought forward a proposal to improve a problem in a particular area, our methadone program, the Government went to unusual lengths to find ways to avoid the Liberal approach and submissions put forward by all sorts of people. They used tactics that were consistent with the aforementioned medical condition, and played the man - or the woman in this case - and not the ball. I sometimes wonder whether we in the Liberal Party should actually mount a case and argue for nationalisation of anything. This Government, in its neurotic way, would probably then adopt privatisation; and, if they did that, then maybe some of Canberra's very real problems would be solved.
This is a reactionary government, focused on political gamesmanship and playing up to the interests of the Left, rather than taking any action on the very real problems this city has, as the Canberra Times rightly pointed out. The raid on the Canberra Times shows how acutely sensitive they are. This is a government with a siege mentality. That is how we can summarise it. They are acutely sensitive to criticism, and to public discussion, if the public have the temerity to actually disagree. They are not open to any ideas that are not their own. The proof lies in the instructions that have been given to public servants about inquiries from opposition members. It lies in the raid on the Canberra Times. It lies in the unusual reactionary lengths to which the Government has gone in order to avoid opposition proposals. In every sense, this is a government which has a very abnormal tendency to suspect and mistrust others - all others - a condition called paranoia.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (3.30): The matter which is described as a matter of public importance talks about "the ACT Labor Government's abnormal tendency to suspect and mistrust others as exemplified by its reaction to public criticism". The public are not criticising us too much. The only people who are criticising are the Canberra Times. The carping speech that we just had from Mrs Carnell is a clear demonstration of people with a born-to-rule mentality who just cannot get used to being in opposition. Well, get used to it, because you are going to be there for a long time. You will remain uncomfortable, as far as I am concerned, because while you are not smiling I reckon I am doing my job. I have not seen much the Liberals would do in the Territory that would keep many of the people in the ACT smiling. The Liberals would wind back the ACT. They support the likes of Dr Hewson and so on.
Mrs Carnell went on about one or two things. She has been very keen to represent her former calling here in the ACT, and she complains that the Government does not service her demands properly. Witness what she told us about her visit to the hospital. High-level people were there to assist her in every regard, and she still complained. You can never be pleased, Mrs Carnell. If you do not like the attention you get, do not ask for any assistance; that is the best way. We will be happy and you will be happy. That is what you ought to stick to. Once the Liberals get used to opposition, we may be able to measure their performance on some sort of a scale. It does not rate a mention thus far. As I said this morning, it is a bleating Opposition that is heading nowhere.
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