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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (21 February) . . Page.. 96 ..

MR BERRY: You are the one that made the threat. You said, "I will lock you out. If you take industrial action, I will lock you out".

Mr De Domenico: No. I am not blockading the street, mate.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR BERRY: Either withdraw the threat or carry on with it; but do not deny that you made it, because you did make it. As I said, you called the workers stupid; you called them greedy; you accused them of acts of thuggery; you threatened to buy off trade unions; you tried the stupid approach of discounting the Government's wage offer because workers disagreed with you. What we intend to do is stop you from committing this other provocation of trying to attack the financial base of the trade union movement.

Mrs Carnell: Does giving people choice do that?

MR BERRY: Mrs Carnell chants "choice". The workers who have decided to join trade unions have made their choice; they have made the election to have the money taken out of their pay. When they want it changed they will write and tell you. In the meantime, drop off it because it is discriminatory. You are looking stupid.

Mrs Carnell: You are looking stupider. Just keep going and check your cc:mail.

Mr De Domenico: He has not read his cc:mail.

MR BERRY: Are we saying now that we have withdrawn it? Have we backed right down? Are we not going to do it anymore? Have we withdrawn it? She has backed off. Isn't it wonderful! When did you do that - last night?

Mr Whitecross: You had not done it at 10.30 this morning. It was not on my cc:mail at 10.30 this morning.

MR BERRY: All of a sudden we have had a swift backdown.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR BERRY: I would have to say that I welcome that; but the motion deserves to be passed. I smell a backdown in the air. I think that it is a response to the reaction of members of this Assembly. As I said on 6 February, the Independents and the Greens will be supporting the ALP on this matter.

Mrs Carnell: Are you taking them for granted?

MR BERRY: No. That was their public position.

Mr De Domenico: The press release has already gone out, has it?

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