Page 2481 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 18 August 1993
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MR LAMONT (4.15): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. That will be sufficient time to rebut most of the arguments put forward by the three people across here. First of all, after what has been put on the public record this afternoon by the Liberal Opposition, it is unfortunate that the record cannot show that each of their noses has grown by about 15 inches in the telling of the porkies. In the first instance we had Mr Kaine. Mr Kaine was great theatre - absolutely magnificent theatre. He came in, rattled the newspapers that somebody had obviously read for him, and said, "Look at this. Outrageous! We have things like 'Budget to double petrol tax'", or words to that effect.
Mr Kaine: I raise a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Earlier the Chief Minister and others were taking points of order about relevance in terms of the Federal budget's effect on the ACT. You might listen carefully to what Mr Lamont is about to say and draw his attention to that very same point of order and the point of relevance.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Kaine, I will listen very carefully.
MR LAMONT: As you always do, Mr Deputy Speaker. He said, "Budget to double petrol tax in the ACT", or words to that effect. I thought, "Hang on; that sounds familiar". I went up and had a look in the library and, lo and behold, it is Mr Kaine's budget it refers to. Then I thought, "Let us see whether we can get some other headlines about some news. Let us have a look". Here it is - and this is the great guru of efficiency: "How cuts increase staff levels". He cut and increased the staff levels in the ACT Administration - and he has had the audacity to stand up here this afternoon and wave the finger at this side of the Assembly. "Tax rises likely in ACT budget" is another headline. Your staff should read those for you at some stage, Mr Kaine. "Kaine's approach wrong" is another.
He is the only one, I will admit, of the Alliance Government remaining in the Liberal Opposition who has actually delivered a budget. I suggest to you, Mr Deputy Speaker, that he is the only one who will ever be likely to deliver a budget, as far as the Liberal Opposition is concerned. Mrs Carnell does not even have the tenacity to stand up and take the Treasury portfolio herself. She is simply not prepared to do it.
Mr Humphries: I raise a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I enjoy as much as anybody else the frivolous approach that Mr Lamont takes on occasions, but I have to say that even he stretches the limits of credulity when he expects us to believe that there is any last vestigial remnant of relevance in this.
Mr Lamont: If your interjection keeps up for another 19 seconds, the whole thing is over anyway. Keep going.
Mr Humphries: I cannot hear myself talk, Mr Lamont.
Mr Lamont: It does not matter. It does not make it any more saleable.
Mr Humphries: If there is any last vestigial remnant of relevance in this speech, I would be extremely surprised, Mr Deputy Speaker.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Humphries. Mercifully, the time for the discussion is concluded.
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