Page 1368 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 12 May 1993
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MR WOOD: No, you did not say it. Read what you said there. This is what the ACT community want to talk about. (Extension of time granted) To suggest, as Mr Stevenson does, that we pass that back is to deny a lot of his rhetoric that we should listen to the community. The community wants a say in these things, and self-government is the way to do it. What some people really want, and I acknowledge this, is a return to the good old days when the Federal Government provided unlimited funds to a wonderful ACT and we were extremely well looked after.
Mr Cornwell: We had our hedges cut for us.
MR WOOD: We had our hedges cut; the acorns on the road could be swept up for us - all sorts of things. Those days have gone. Anybody in the community - obviously there still are such people - who would like to return to those days has the cargo cult mentality, because it is just not a possibility at all. So there is really no choice. We can return all this to the Federal Government - well, I do not think we can, but some people say so - and we would be a whole lot worse off.
It has been said that we would not have Ms Follett arguing for us at the Premiers Conferences. I would not be in the position that Gary Humphries was in at one stage. He will agree with this, although I think we have probably had more votes than when he was attending. I go to the Australian Education Council and many ministerial meetings and I put my hand up and it is counted. It is worth one vote, and the vote from New South Wales is still one vote. We are an equal partner in every one of those ministerial meetings. That is not something that anybody in this town would want to give up lightly.
Mr Humphries: Nor should we.
MR WOOD: It is a very important influence for a relatively small part of Australia. Certainly Mr Stevenson would give that up. I do not know where you Liberals stand, because you are shifting your ground so much. But that is very important. We are now, under the leadership of Ms Follett, a respected and equal partner in the affairs of this nation. Let us not give that up. Let us argue strongly to maintain this. Let us forget the cargo cult mentality that a few people retain.
MR KAINE (3.49): I am happy to participate in this debate because it seems to me that - - -
Mr Wood: Keep the pot stirring?
MR KAINE: There are a few people who seem to think that somehow I and my leader are in a position of fisticuffs on this issue, and that is an absurdity.
Mr Lamont: Never. You just attend different meetings on the weekend.
Mr Connolly: Just do her in on the radio.
MR KAINE: If you will stop the animals at the zoo during feeding time, I would appreciate it, Mr Deputy Speaker. I want to recap what has happened over the last four or five days. The first thing that happened was that last Sunday the Liberal Party convened a meeting of some of its members to discuss some very crucial issues. The first thing that came out of that meeting was a reaffirmation
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