Page 3958 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 25 August 2010
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They are on very weak ground. This motion is not only silly but it is poorly constructed. It is actually wrong in content, and it misses the point entirely in relation to the $77 million. What is my reaction to Mr Hanson in regard to this? It is that I feel sorry for him, and he has my absolute bucket load of pity for putting this feeble piece of work before the Assembly.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (8.07): This has been a pretty unedifying debate. Really, it was brought to a new low by Mr Stanhope before dinner, and his performance out of the chamber was no better. I was listening upstairs and one of the staff said to me, “What is that tinkling sound I can hear?” Again, it was the sound of Mr Stanhope’s glass jaw. I am not quite sure what it was that really set him off.
Perhaps it was the humility of being reminded that this was a man who was going to change openness and accountability when he became Chief Minister. He was going to play hell with a stick, and he was going to make sure that no-one would ever hide behind all sorts of devices that he accused previous governments of hiding behind. But here we are today making one of the most important decisions that this community will ever make in relation to the continued ownership of one of our hospitals and everything has been hidden.
One year ago there was “everything is on the table; all my health plans are on the table” but we now know that that was not true. When Katy Gallagher said at the press club, “All my health plans are on the table,” that was a lie. She lied at the press club, and that lie has been repeated. That lie has been repeated over and over again. Because we knew when she was saying, “All my plans are on the table,” that she had a secret plan, the same secret that Simon Corbell had—to get her hands on Calvary come what may.
Mr Seselja is absolutely right—if the government came in here and said, “We don’t like the situation; we want to own Calvary,” perhaps that would be different. At least Mr Corbell had the guts to do that. He made it perfectly clear that he was ideologically opposed—
Ms Gallagher: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, just reflecting on Mrs Dunne’s comment where she said twice that I lied—“That the minister lied”—I believe that she needs to move a substantive motion if she is going to be making those sorts of allegations. She should be asked to withdraw it.
MRS DUNNE: On the point of order, Mr Speaker, I purposely and very deliberately said, “She lied at the press club.” I did not say that she lied to this place, which would be a matter for a substantive motion.
Ms Gallagher: I would ask, Mr Speaker, that you review the Hansard, because she said “lied” a number of times, not once.
MR SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, I think it is recognised in the practice of this place that that is unparliamentarily language, and I would invite you to withdraw it.
MRS DUNNE: I will withdraw the comment.
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