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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (30 August) . . Page.. 3804 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

Each time we have an election in the ACT we hear about council-style government, a different model of self-government or some sort of restructuring of our present system. Such propositions tend to draw on old concerns about self-government and to focus the community on something other than the decisions of government, the performance of government and the issues that should concern the community.

I think the framework for government in the ACT is developing well. It will be different in a few years, I expect. There will be more members, I expect. There may even be consideration of other electoral systems as time passes and there are more politicians in this place.

This is a very difficult electoral system to work in. I remember putting a nasty press release out, amongst the few I have put out about various people around this place. It was a biting press release about Dave Rugendyke.

Mr Rugendyke: Yesterday, wasn't it?

MR BERRY: No. I have done others. You missed the others. We were at a function at the airport, and I could see that Mr Rugendyke was not talking to me. Mr Rugendyke might remember this. I went over to him. He seemed a little bit stern. I tried to be as gracious as I could be in the tense situation that seemed to exist, and I said to Mr Rugendyke, "One of the problems with this sort of politics here is that we are both in the same electorate, and it is my job to see you out of work and your job to see me out of work. It is not a very comfortable position to be in if you have in mind the passionate pursuit of ideas."

I go back to what somebody said to me years ago when I was involved in the trade union movement and doing some study on advocacy. An experienced industrial commissioner was giving us a briefing on how to advocate various positions for our constituents, workers in the field. He said, "Your job is to represent your constituents. Leave everything else aside. Be very careful if you get to break bread and have a beer with the bosses' advocate too often, or you might forget where your responsibilities are. Your responsibilities are not to engage in a convivial atmosphere with the bosses' advocate. Your job is to represent your members. If you become too friendly with the bosses' advocate, you may forget your members just for an instant. If you do, you will have deserted them."

I think that is also a part of politics in this place. We are not here because we like what goes on here and we like belting each other up metaphorically on policy issues. We are here representing a group of people on issues and trying to improve their standards of living, their future and their security and dealing with those sorts of issues which give us a more socially just and fairer society. You cannot forget that for a moment, in my view. Whilst the anxious moments which develop in this place might distract you for a small amount of time, you should not allow them to distract you for too long. You should never forget your responsibility to represent those people whom you feel you represent. They may not all vote for you. The fundamental reason for you being here is to represent those people.

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