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Wayne Berry Daily . . Page.. 796 ..

Somebody said, “You cannot take it out on the poor French person. It was the Government”. Who do you think put it there? If the people who elected the Government have elected a government which upsets the rest of the world, they have to be told that they have done the wrong thing. Do not blame me. I voted Labor. But, when it comes to the crunch, it is no good blaming the ordinary Canberra person for what the Liberals do. Regrettably, voters voted the Liberal Party in, and some people will be embarrassed by that. There is no reason at all why the French should not be embarrassed about their Government. Indeed, on this occasion, many will hang their heads in shame. There will be millions of people in France who will be extremely embarrassed by the performance of their Government; there is no question about that. I think we are in a position where we can add to the rage and, hopefully, influence the French Government's decision-making process. Somebody said a little while ago, “Chirac said that he will not take any notice of this lot”. He certainly will not take any notice if you all lie down, as the Liberals want to do. All the French will ever take notice of is the big headline, “ACT Liberals Lie Down”.

Mr Stefaniak: Is that in the Wayne Berry Daily or something?

MR BERRY: Look at them all laugh. They laugh about an issue of such international importance as poisoning the world's atmosphere for future generations. Three hundred years hence we will pay the price for all of this. You will not be here, of course, but other people will be.

Mrs Carnell: We are not arguing about nuclear tests; we are arguing about how best to stop them.

MR BERRY: Mrs Carnell said, “We are not arguing about nuclear testing. What we would like to do is just scold and tut-tut and do nothing”. You have the opportunity to do something; you have the opportunity to make a stand, and you want to throw it away. Labor will not throw it away; neither will sensible people around the ACT. I think the rage will go on and there will be long argument about the issue. But what we have to demonstrate in this place is that we are prepared to show leadership and not just to grandstand.

Mrs Carnell: Are you going to tear up Nara because of the whaling?

MR BERRY: Mrs Carnell says, “Will you tear up Nara?”.

Mrs Carnell: That is a world issue.

MR BERRY: We are not talking about the world's population being affected by nuclear testing in relation to Nara. That is what we are talking about when it comes to France.

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