Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 2119 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

The Minister had us all believe, on the basis of advice allegedly from Mr Thurston, that the TWU would not even talk to him. That is the impression from the Minister's answer yesterday. It is clear. It is explicit. There is no way of weaseling out of it by pretending, "Well, that was not a firm offer. That was an unfirm offer. That was an offer that did not count. These are unfirm offers. The TWU comes to ACTION with unfirm offers. We did not take them seriously". Mr Thurston is saying, "I did not actually believe that we were having serious discussions here. We were just playing. This was just a play school. I went along just to listen to a bit of chatter from the TWU. I did not think they were serious". They did not sit and joke and laugh as Mr Moore and Mr Smyth are now.

Mr Moore: We are laughing at you, Mr Stanhope. We are laughing at you.

MR STANHOPE: I am pleased to see that on the record, Mr Moore. You are sly, Mr Moore. The hypocrisy exhibited by you now that you have embraced the Liberal Party, Mr Moore, is breathtaking to me, and I think to a lot of people in Canberra.

Mr Humphries: Is this a motion of censure against Mr Smyth or Mr Moore?

MR STANHOPE: It is a pity that we have confined it to Mr Smyth. I will digress just briefly to say, as a member of this place for just six months, that the greatest shock and surprise to me is the speed with which my respect for Mr Moore and what I thought were his principles has dissipated. The thing that has surprised me in my time in this place is the speed with which my respect for Mr Moore is going up the chimney.

Mr Humphries: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I know - - -

MR STANHOPE: I have ended that digression, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Hird): Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

Mr Humphries: I know that Mr Stanhope is keen to spray all over the Assembly, but this motion is about Mr Smyth, not about Mr Moore.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I call the Leader of the Opposition.

MR STANHOPE: I think I have made the case. I think the case is quite plain.

Mr Moore: Ha, ha!

MR STANHOPE: Mr Moore has developed the great art of rationalising anything. Mr Moore can now look at a transcript, see a direct mislead and see nothing wrong with it. If Mr Moore does not support this motion of censure, and if Mr Osborne, Mr Rugendyke and other members of the crossbench do not support it, I honestly wonder what the Chief Minister's statement of ministerial standards tabled just a little while ago means. I wonder. I cannot believe that this motion will not receive the full support of

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .