Page 2686 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 25 August 1993
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Of course it is what they meant. Why else would they have raised the question? Why else would they have read out, as Mr De Domenico did in tones of the deepest portent, the extract from the royal commission report? Madam Speaker, the reason is that they consider, and they wish this Assembly and they wish the Canberra community to believe, that Mr Wright is guilty of wrongdoing. That is the only reason they have raised the issue today, and they are wrong. They are guilty of casting the slur, of making a false accusation by imputation, against a member of this community who is not here to defend himself.
Madam Speaker, I believe that members opposite trying to wriggle out of it now by saying, "That is not what we meant; we did not mean this; we did not mean that" is simply a further extension of their remarkable cowardice. Madam Speaker, as I said, I believe that the members opposite deserve to be censured on this matter. They have quite clearly imputed illegality to a member of this community when that illegality does not exist. If they believe that they have another view, then they ought to stand up and explain why they pursued that course of questioning in question time - if it was not intended to cast a slur. Why? Madam Speaker, I fully support the censure motion, as indeed I would support a censure motion against any member of this Assembly who behaved in this way.
MR HUMPHRIES (3.52): Madam Speaker, I must say that bringing this motion on the basis of the pique which the Labor Party has felt in the last couple of days - not just about this issue apparently, but about other issues - gives one some concern about just how far - - -
Mr Wood: Whom are you kidding? Come down to earth.
MR HUMPHRIES: I have noticed quite a lot of angst on the part of members opposite, even if they have not noticed it themselves, as have members of the media. I suspect that members opposite should look at themselves a bit.
Madam Speaker, the questions that were asked today in question time by Mr De Domenico and Mrs Carnell - I did not actually ask a question about this issue at all, but apparently I am subject to the motion anyway - and the things that were said on the floor of the chamber during question time constitute a perfectly reasonable set of questions that any member of any Opposition worth their salt would ask in the same circumstances. The questions asked about Mr Wright's connection with the WA Inc. scandal - and you might forget that it was a scandal - - -
Ms Follett: You did ask a question about it. You have forgotten.
Mr Berry: You asked a question about taking him to Japan.
MR HUMPHRIES: I asked about travel, actually.
Mr Connolly: "Are you taking Mr Wright - - -
Mr De Domenico: No; I asked that question.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr De Domenico asked that question. I did not ask that question.
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