Page 3705 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 9 December 1992
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR LAMONT: The simple fact is that what the current Leader of the Opposition fails to understand, and I am quite surprised that he does not understand it - - -
Mr Berry: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: The Leader of the Opposition just interjected that Mr Lamont pulled a fast one, which is a clear imputation against a member, and it must be withdrawn.
Mr Kaine: Here we go again. I am going to be suspended again, am I?
Mr Berry: Well, you should be.
Mr Kaine: Why don't you sit down and stop being so aggressive and threatening.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mr Kaine! Your interjection does carry the overtones of - - -
Mr Kaine: Madam Speaker, I withdraw it. Do you want me to get down and grovel as well?
MADAM SPEAKER: No, thank you, Mr Kaine.
MR LAMONT: Mr Kaine, that is one thing that I do not believe any member needs to do in this chamber.
Mr Kaine: The Speaker expects me to.
MR LAMONT: No, I think that is wrong. Because of the generally cordial relations that exist, I do not believe that that is a position anybody in this chamber would expect you to take.
Mr Kaine: Mr Self-righteous.
MR LAMONT: No, it is not Mr Self-righteous. I think it is a statement of fact, Mr Kaine, about the exemplary way in which relations across and within this chamber have been conducted. There have been one or two minor issues over which people may have got agitated or heated, and we have had an example of that this morning. One member has a passionate belief about one particular issue and that exuberance sometimes carries over into the way he may address the chamber. But, by and large, the spirit of cooperation that has imbued this Assembly is in stark contrast to the way in which this Assembly's operation proceeded in the last three years.
Mr Kaine, nobody expects you to grovel; nobody should expect you to grovel; nobody has the right to ask you to grovel. If Mr Kaine wishes to volunteer, I am sure it will be accepted; but it is not a position that anybody would expect. It would be absolutely outrageous for them to expect Mr Kaine to grovel in this chamber.
Mr De Domenico: Now tell us why you try to upset that balance.
MR LAMONT: It is even outrageous, Mr De Domenico, to expect you to grovel, although you may be - - -
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .