Page 131 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 10 February 2010
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go on to say that the Productivity Commission reported that the ACT has the shortest waiting times for public dental services in Australia. Why didn’t you mention that, Mr Seselja? Why didn’t you go to the fact that we have the shortest dental waiting times in Australia? What was the basis on which you ignored that particular statistical fact, Mr Seselja? We have the shortest public dental waiting times in Australia. Thank you for your silence on the matter.
The Liberals have shown a deep contempt for the intelligence of Canberrans to try this patent, transparent political spin. Canberrans were not that gullible in October 2008 and they will not be again in 2012. In 2008, what did they do? They delivered Mr Seselja the second worst result the Liberal Party had ever achieved in an ACT election. Mr Seselja began his speech by saying that the great public or community test of a government’s commitment to the delivery of services is the Productivity Commission report. No, the greatest test, Mr Seselja, is the ballot box. You received the second worst result of any Liberal leader since self-government. That is the test, Mr Seselja. The test is that you and your party have been rejected three elections in a row since you were in government and since you cut 114 beds in our public hospitals. There is the number one test.
Mr Seselja: I got more votes than you. They liked me more than you, Jon.
MR STANHOPE: That is why you are the Leader of the Opposition, mate. The test is whether or not you are in government, and you are not. You are sitting on the crossbench. You have been sitting there for four years, Mr Seselja, and you will be sitting there for another four. I guarantee now that it will be many more into the future. There is the test of what the people of Canberra think, Mr Seselja. It was the second worst result by a Liberal leader since self-government. Now let us talk about the test inherent in that.
Mr Seselja: But more votes than you—more votes than you. That hurts, doesn’t it, Jon, that I got more votes than you? You always come back to it.
MR STANHOPE: Here we go on facts and statistics—because you had more electors, Mr Seselja. I received a higher vote than you, mate, and you know it.
Mr Seselja: So you’re going to tell untruths again? We can see the embarrassment. Just make up the numbers.
MR SPEAKER: Order, members!
MR STANHOPE: This really goes to Mr Seselja’s understanding of statistics, doesn’t it? I am embarrassed for you, Mr Seselja. I am embarrassed for you again, Mr Seselja, that even in your own electoral result you have got to fudge the figures. What a sign of a fragile ego that he has to make up numbers into his own political electoral result. What a ripper!
Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. My point of order relates to relevance. This is a debate about the review of government services and not electoral results.
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