Page 4395 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 8 December 1993
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MR KAINE: I seek leave, under standing order 46, to make a personal explanation.
MADAM SPEAKER: I give you leave.
MR KAINE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. During question time the Minister, I think twice, said that when Mr Humphries was the Minister for Health I gave him a blank cheque.
Mr Berry: No, I said that you patted him on the head when he gave them the blank cheque.
MR KAINE: The Speaker, I am sure, can check Hansard on this point, but the Minister said that I gave him a blank cheque. Madam Speaker, that is not true. What happened in 1990 was that there was a renegotiation of a pre-existing contract under which the VMOs were entitled by contract to certain remuneration. That contract has only just expired. At no time during the life of that contract did the Minister object to its conditions until now, when it comes up for renegotiation. It is proper for him to do that, since we are under renegotiation; but he has no mandate to question a valid contract entered into by the Government with a group of contractors.
Mr Berry: It was shonky. You gave up. You folded.
MR KAINE: Madam Speaker, I object to his words. There was nothing shonky about the contract. It was a legitimate, honest contract entered into between the Government and the doctors who were prepared to take those contracts. If the Minister is going to insist on referring to it being shonky, then I will take the matter further. I understand that that is a word that has been ruled out of order in this house before today. I do take exception to the Minister's assertion, at least twice, that I gave anybody a blank cheque. I did not. I refute that and I think the Minister should withdraw it.
Mr De Domenico: Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order. You have ruled previously that the use of the word "shonky" is out of order. I ask Mr Berry to withdraw that word "shonky".
MADAM SPEAKER: I believe that "shonky deal" was what I ruled out of order, but I will check on it. If members object - - -
Mr Kaine: We are splitting hairs now.
Mr Berry: No, I do not want to upset Pebbles. I will withdraw it.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Berry. It is up to members to set their own standards.
Mr Berry: But I gave in too easily.
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