Page 637 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 22 February 2012
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MR SESELJA: I understand that, but if I am asked to withdraw something—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, I have asked—
MR SESELJA: Yes, I know, and I am happy to withdraw it, but I do not know what you are asking me to withdraw. I will withdraw the words you are asking me to withdraw, but it would be great if I knew what that was.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I would like you to rephrase any comments that could be seen as reflecting on Mr Hargreaves’s abilities.
MR SESELJA: Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. I withdraw whatever it is you have asked me to withdraw. We know why Mr Hargreaves is touchy on this subject; we see it every time. In this case, he came late in the sitting and had a rant. People will see that in different ways. We will make conclusions as to why he makes rants like this. We believe those kinds of rants are unacceptable. It is not once, it is not twice; it is a pattern of behaviour from Mr Hargreaves that brings this place into disrepute and brings his party into disrepute. He continues to represent the Labor Party in the senior position of whip.
Is he embarrassed about that? Maybe. Well, he should be. We see occasionally, as we do right now, the embarrassment. We occasionally get a glimpse that he actually might have some shame for the way he behaves in this place. It is not the first time. We saw in another late night sitting the slur against Mrs Dunne. We saw the disgraceful slur against Mrs Dunne by Mr Hargreaves. Of course, when he was called to account on that occasion, he sought to dismiss it and then he gave the most ungracious apology imaginable in the chamber and the most ungracious withdrawal.
We see it time and time again and Ms Gallagher continues to condone it. Even in her letter to Mr Johnston there is no hint of an apology. There is no hint of “I’ve called him into line”. She says, “I have spoken to him and I don’t share his views.” That is great. Apparently she has got a different view. What are you going to do about it, Ms Gallagher? “Nothing. I’m going to say that I have a different view.” He represents the Labor Party and he has been allowed to get away with this behaviour time and time again.
We have seen the pattern of behaviour, Madam Assistant Speaker, and Ms Gallagher’s failure to even apologise. Why is it so hard for Ms Gallagher to actually apologise in that letter? “On behalf of the government, who Mr Hargreaves represents as whip, on behalf of the Australian Labor Party, who Mr Hargreaves represents as whip, I apologise for his disgraceful behaviour.”
So many times it has been the last chance for Mr Hargreaves. What will it take for the Chief Minister to actually show some leadership and say, “You’ve had a lot of last changes, Mr Hargreaves, and now you will no longer represent us as whip”? Until she does that, she will be condemned for his behaviour. She will be condemned by his behaviour because she is therefore condoning it. We see it time and time again. He was on his last chance last time with the disgraceful slur against Mrs Dunne. He is on
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