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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (2 September) . . Page.. 2770 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

can rise and pretend, no matter how well they might act out a part, to believe that what we are doing at the moment is achieving what it should be achieving, and that is protection of people in the community who, for whatever reason, fall victims of addiction to drugs. We do not believe that we should change drug policy like that, do a 180-degree turn and swing around the other way. That obviously is not going to be a good message. It is not going to work. But we do believe in picking up and addressing some options for change, looking at options for change.

Mr Berry: Point your finger to the one on your left.

MR HUMPHRIES: You can giggle and hoot over there, Mr Berry.

Mr Berry: No; point your finger at your boss. She is the one who has let us down.

MR HUMPHRIES: You can carry on in your cynical way. But you are a harlot; you are a harlot in the way you have approached this matter. You have bought your position with votes. You believe you are going to get more votes by taking this position. You have betrayed your principles.

Mr Berry: I do not know that harlot is - - -

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, I do not think so. No; no problems.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, this man has betrayed his principles.

Mr Berry: You think it is okay? Do you think it is parliamentary language? I take a point of order.

MR HUMPHRIES: Look at him there in his harlot's outfit - - -

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The Attorney-General will resume his seat.

Mr Berry: I think it is probably unparliamentary language.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I do not - - -

Mr Berry: If Mr Humphries wants to lower himself there is not much I can do. If you want to support him, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, there is even less I can do.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is all right. Resume your seat, Mr Leader of the Opposition. Mr Humphries, proceed.

MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. We see Mr Berry for what he is - a man who has betrayed his principles in order to obtain political advantage. Well, it will not work. They have already tried that and it did not work very well once before. Do you remember the bumper stickers after the 1994 medicinal use of marijuana debate? Do you remember "Liberals plus Independents equals chaos."?

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