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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 10 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 3080 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

Who would expect, in the year of the Paralympics, that a government would cut funding to a disabled swim program, for heaven's sake? No government would do that; not even Jeff Kennett's. I just cannot believe that you sit there and resist the tide on this issue. Why do you not come to your senses on the matter and just give in, fold, pay the money, continue the funding? Do not be such an embarrassment to us all. Why do we have to put up with this stubbornness? Why are you trying to escape the obligation to look after disabled swimmers? You are an absolute disgrace, the lot of you. Here is your chance to dig yourself out of a little hole, anyway. Just agree to fund the program for disabled swimmers. You are a shameful lot if you cannot respond to that call.

It was pointed out that you had the opportunity to make the funding available to ACT Swimming. You ran away from it, arrogantly. If that is the way you want to play the game, you are going to be pilloried for it, and the community out there are going to find out about how you lot think. You do not care about people.

Mrs Carnell: You are wrong again.

MR BERRY: Oh, yes; every time Mrs Carnell gets caught, she says, "You are wrong again". We have got you time and time again. We have got you on dud figures. We have got you on hospital budget blow-outs. Now we have got you on disabled swim programs.

Mr Speaker, we can expect the Chief Minister to come in here and berate anybody who disagrees with her. It is very cute - this Carnell cuteness on berating people. We saw an example of it in her response to a person's letter in the paper pointing out that Mrs Carnell had not funded the disabled swim program. She immediately spun around and went for him like a snake. She gave him a ring at home and gave him a burst as well: "How dare you disagree with me! How dare you expose me for my frailties!". You are a shameful lot. You should fold, you should give in, you should maintain the funding, in the same way as you have been shamed into agreeing to the buses. Shame on you!

MR DE DOMENICO (Minister for Urban Services) (4.40): Mr Speaker, can I perhaps get some facts into this argument and can I say to Mr Berry and others who have stood up and played politics again with Paralympians - - -

Mr Berry: You talk about me!

MR DE DOMENICO: Just listen.

Ms McRae: Excuse me; it is in the paper.

MR DE DOMENICO: It must be right because it has been in the newspaper. That is the attitude.

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