Page 155 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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MR SPEAKER: This is on the amendment, yes?
MR HARGREAVES: Yes, this is on the amendment.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you.
MR HARGREAVES: I acknowledge the comments made by Ms Bresnan and I acknowledge the comments made by Mr Doszpot. I would like to make a couple of comments on them.
I cannot believe how besotted Mr Doszpot is with the Al Grassby statue. I just cannot believe it. Obviously he misses the point about having recognition of anybody’s contribution to life in their city or in their country. Every single person I know has a light side and a dark side, every single one of them. And I point out once again in this chamber nothing was proven. In fact, Mr Grassby was exonerated on all of it. And I have the transcripts to prove it.
Furthermore, Mr Doszpot said it was me trying to support the Al Grassby statue. I made no mention of that statue in my speech. There is no mention of it in the motion. Mr Doszpot talks about that statue creating disharmony in the community. I have not heard it. Let me just tell you I am—
Mr Doszpot: You have not listened, John, you have not listened.
MR HARGREAVES: Would you be quiet for a minute please, Mr Doszpot. I heard you in silence and I would like the same courtesy please.
Mr Doszpot: That is unusual for you.
MR HARGREAVES: It is not unusual. You just wake up.
I am aware that the Mackay family have difficulties with the statue and I regret their discomfort. And I have said that a number of times. I have had no community contact to say it was the wrong thing to do. Yet again I say to this place: when the notion of a celebration of Mr Grassby’s contribution to multiculturalism came up, I spoke to the multicultural community on 16 occasions and not one of them suggested to me it was not a good idea.
When it started to come out of the ground that the Mackay family was upset—and I had no knowledge of them even being in the city, none at all—was I going to go against the 16 sessions of community consultation because a family got upset about a particular aspect of a particular individual’s life, which was in fact not proven in court? No, of course I was not. I concentrated on the contributions to the multicultural affairs of this country by the father of multiculturalism. But I am not going to justify that statue any further. Mr Doszpot, for God’s sake, ought to get over it and understand that it is a celebration of multiculturalism and in certain people’s minds that is the way it goes.
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