Page 2357 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 16 June 2009
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That is what it is. Mr Cormack’s reputation is simply expendable. It counts for nothing because there is a political point or score to be made—aided and abetted, unfortunately, this morning by the Greens. They are light on substance, light on backbone and light on fortitude—willing to drag down and trash the reputation of one of the most senior officials in this territory.
Ms Le Couteur: Ouch!
MR STANHOPE: Yes, it is a big joke. It is a big joke to destroy the reputation of a senior professional ACT public servant. What a laugh, Ms Le Couteur. It is a big joke. I do not think Mr Cormack is laughing, Ms Le Couteur.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, could you address the chair in accordance with standing orders?
MR STANHOPE: He is not laughing—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope—
MR STANHOPE: nor are those other public servants that you have actually attacked this morning.
The pattern of behaviour of those opposite cannot be denied. It is too marked and too consistent to be anything other than deeply entrenched and cultural. It is the culture of a party that opposes for the sake of opposition, which has no policy of its own and so must attack the policies of others, even if it involves misrepresentation and outright defamation.
Let us recall Mr Coe’s disgraceful defamation of local builders involved in the OwnPlace scheme—a defamation repeated by his leader and deputy leader.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR STANHOPE: Just go to the transcript and read the despicable allegations made by Mr Coe in estimates, a claim of extortion—
Mr Seselja: The committee found you misrepresented—
MR STANHOPE: Two Liberals and two Greens made a finding. By jingo, there is a finding that you would give some credence and weight to, wouldn’t you? Yes, we will actually rely on that, won’t we? What the record shows is Mr Coe’s claim that OwnPlace builders were charging extortionate amounts. I refer to Mr Coe’s description of extortion. It was a claim of price gouging. I do not resile from that. It is a fact. It was an allegation of price gouging made by Mr Coe and supported by his leader. It is as simple and plain as that on the record, on the transcript, that these were extortionate amounts.
I can understand the Liberals, with their lack of self-awareness, not actually going to what exactly it is—a claim of extortion or a charge of an imposition of an extortionate
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