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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2377 ..

Mrs Carnell: Standing order 80 allows it to happen. It is all right. I will do it for him.

MR BERRY: Mrs Carnell says that she will defend it for him. What a ludicrous situation! Why did you not introduce it in the first place - or did you get cold feet? It sounds as though you might have got cold feet a little way down the path, after resistance to the Bill started to develop, after some of the constituents started to agitate on the issue and after some of the members in the Liberals' party room started to get a little bit nervous about the silliness of what the Liberals had got themselves caught up in. That is perhaps why they supported this so-called committee consideration of the implication of trading hours changes which will arise because of the support for this Bill which will possibly flow as a result of the debate later on.

Mr Speaker, the Liberals cannot possibly oppose this Bill without a blush on their faces. The Greens will dive under the table when they stick their hands up, because mostly they are proponents of open consultation and fairness in consultation. We have heard them sing that song over and over again. This Trading Hours Bill must be adjourned in the interests of sincerity and commonsense.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Training): I seek leave to speak.

Leave granted.

MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, what absolute crap!

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, do I have to rise?

MR STEFANIAK: If he takes offence at that, Mr Speaker, I will withdraw that and say, "What absolute twaddle!". What complete hypocrisy from this man who this morning was going on about the Greens' motion and saying how it would clutter up his desk - - -

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, this is the Minister for Education - - -

MR SPEAKER: Order! Do you have a point of order, Mr Berry, or are you just having a general chat?

MR STEFANIAK: I have withdrawn it, Wayne. I have said "twaddle". Delete "crap"; replace it with "twaddle", Wayne.

Mr Berry: You do not have the option to replace it with anything. You have the option either to withdraw it or to be booted out.

MR SPEAKER: He did withdraw it.

Mr Berry: The Minister for Education using language like that! Tut, tut!

MR SPEAKER: And the Deputy Leader of the Opposition standing up without taking a point of order! Tut, tut!

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