Page 640 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 22 February 2012
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Ms Bresnan said this morning. I share Ms Bresnan’s views. I believe that Mr Hargreaves’s comments were unfortunate, and Ms Bresnan was very clear in her remarks about that.
Nonetheless, Ms Bresnan is also being clear about the position the Greens will be taking on this motion. Mr Doszpot in his remarks talked about this motion being about us and the standards we set in this place. That is a very interesting point, one that made me pause and think. But at the end of it I come down to the fact of what happened here in the chamber last Wednesday night.
Mr Hargreaves did come in here and make some remarks which, personally, I would not have made. There was quite some catcalling in this chamber; there was quite some yahooing going on. There was certainly a lot of noise and reaction to Mr Hargreaves’s comments. But I think it is very instructive that at the end of his comments Mrs Dunne stood up and said, and I was in the chair at the time:
Mr Speaker, I move that Mr Hargreaves be given more time to pontificate on the issues relating to Tuggeranong.
Clearly this was an invitation from Mrs Dunne on behalf of her colleagues to allow the behaviour to go on. They wanted to allow Mr Hargreaves to continue with what is now being described as offensive behaviour, behaviour that was inappropriate for this chamber. We could have discussion. As I said, I do not support the way Mr Hargreaves spoke in this chamber, but the Liberal Party sought to egg him on. They sought to continue the behaviour. To come in here now and generate some confected outrage, to come in here and be all sanctimonious about this is, frankly, a double standard.
Mr Seselja went on radio on Friday morning and said that Ms Burch sat here egging him on. That is what Mr Seselja said on radio. I am sorry but Mrs Dunne stood up and sought to egg Mr Hargreaves on and encourage him in the very behaviour that those opposite are now complaining about. It is the most unbelievable double standard that you can imagine. It does complete disservice to the Liberal Party in this place for them to come in and raise this matter in the way they have. Mr Hargreaves’s behaviour was inappropriate, but for this side to then stand up and somehow say, “We were not party to this,” in light of what Mrs Dunne is recorded as saying in Hansard, is a double standard that reflects poorly on the bringing forward of this motion.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (3.48): I will now just speak to the amendment and some of the comments from some members, then I will close in a few moments.
In regard to the amendment, it is interesting to hear Mr Rattenbury’s words. He says that the words were unfortunate; he says, “I do not support them.” But Mr Rattenbury, who is also the Speaker, does nothing to hold Mr Hargreaves to account for those words.
It would appear from every speech that has been given today that no-one agrees with the words and no-one supports the words. Apparently it is not official Labor Party speak when you speak in the chamber, so they can pick and choose when they are in
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