Page 3721 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 26 August 2009
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the banter that goes on in this Assembly when people have a way to address it through the standing orders. This is a case where the minister used a letterhead and his office to send what was his interpretation of a matter. The Greens’ belief is that that was not the proper interpretation and that the record needs to be corrected. Therefore, I commend Ms Bresnan’s amendment to the house.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Planning and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation) (3.56): Obviously I will not be supporting the amendment. I have already spoken on the substantive matter. I thank Ms Hunter for her contribution because I suppose it does go to the heart of the matter, and that is political interpretations. I do not accept the Liberals’ position or the Greens’ position that it was unreasonable for me to draw such a conclusion. I acknowledge that an Assembly mercy rule will be implemented for the shadow minister in relation to this. His inability to clearly articulate a view is not my problem, Madam Assistant Speaker, but if the Assembly feels he needs that protection and his inability to clearly express a view of Liberal Party policy requires that level of protection from the Assembly then so be it. That is a matter for the Assembly to determine.
However, in the context of the media releases that Mr Doszpot has put out on a number of occasions in relation to this issue I note that there are a number of statements in those media releases that I feel perfectly within my rights to raise in exactly the same context as Mr Doszpot has in relation to his concern about my comments.
Mr Hanson: Who did he write to?
MR BARR: He has issued a media release, so he has written to everyone.
Mr Doszpot: Did I write on a ministerial letterhead?
MR BARR: Yes, on his letterhead—on the shadow minister’s letterhead—accusing me essentially of failing to acknowledge the human rights of students with a disability in non-government schools.
Mr Doszpot: Which you acknowledged, and you have corrected.
MR BARR: I have never at any point sought to breach the human rights of students in a non-government school. He has just made that assertion. For the cross-bench that goes to the heart of the matter. I am perfectly entitled now, having had that assertion made, to bring a similar censure motion. I now formally request Mr Doszpot to withdraw all of those allegations. If you do not do so by the close of business today then it will be within my rights to bring on an appropriate motion to reflect your failure on this matter.
Whilst I am on my feet, I would like to draw the Assembly’s attention to what was one of the most outrageous speeches ever in this place. In the MPI discussion last week, Mr Doszpot accused me of having “deep-seated insecurities”. Big blowing of the dog whistle, Madam Assistant Speaker! Along with the other statements that he
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