Page 2580 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 23 August 2006
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Mrs Dunne: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you for admitting that you erred. It does not hurt to do so. The world does not come to an end when people admit that they have erred. In the course of debate Dr Foskey said she was concerned because the Liberals never admitted that they had learnt the lessons of history and they never said that their approach in the 1990s was wrong. That is not the case. I have said that in this place on more than one occasion.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, but did you say it in this speech?
Mrs Dunne: Yes, Mr Speaker. I did not say in this speech that we had learned from the ALP how not to do it. Dr Foskey also said that I should not give in to the he-man approach of Mr Stanhope. I assure you, Mr Speaker, that I would never give in to Mr Stanhope’s he-man approach.
MR SPEAKER: The member will resume her seat. Mrs Dunne, you trick me once. I call Mr Seselja.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo) (5.26): Mr Speaker, I guess the question is whether you erred the first time or the second time.
MR SPEAKER: Well, I feel as though my generosity has been taken advantage of.
MR SESELJA: Quite rightly, Mr Speaker. I am sure Mrs Dunne will not get away with it again. I commend Mr Stefaniak for moving this motion. The first and most important reason for this motion—it is one of the reasons we are where we are—is the lie the Labor Party took to the 2004 election. It gained a majority at that election in part on the basis of a lie. The former education minister gets very sensitive about this and says that she did not say it. Technically, I guess that is true. Technically, they were not her words; they were said by a spokesperson for her. She did not want to do it herself but she sent out a spokesperson who said in the Canberra Times on 12 August 2004:
Minister for Education, Katy Gallagher, in the pre-2004 ACT election context, categorically ruled out through a spokesman the closure of schools by Labor in the next term of government.
The spokesperson said, “The government will not be closing schools.” In August 2004, just prior to the last election, this issue was obviously an issue of concern to some residents. Mr Pratt, who raised this issue as shadow education minister, was criticised by the Labor Party. The Labor Party sought to differentiate itself from Mr Pratt, who said quite honestly and clearly, “There may be a case for the closure of some schools due to the changing demographics.”
Members interjecting—
MR SESELJA: Prior to the election that is what Mr Pratt said quite honestly, but the Labor party was not honest. The Labor Party, through its spokesperson, said it would not close any schools. The Labor Party achieved majority government, in part on the back of its promises. No doubt education was one of the important policy areas at which people
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