Page 707 - Week 02 - Thursday, 23 February 2012
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I reject the first part of the motion quite emphatically. Communication between myself and Mr Coe is not about anybody’s sexuality in this place. It is not about the Deputy Chief Minister. I find the suggestion deeply offensive. It is an outrageous thing to do. This is so outrageous to find it being perpetuated from the notion that if you say a lie often enough then it will become true. That is not acceptable to me. I have explained to this place yesterday what it was about.
Mr Speaker, when I first became whip many years ago I decided that in line with whip tradition there needed to be a relationship with all the sectors, at least from the whip’s perspective, such that it was a friendly relationship so that in the times of extreme tension there would at least be one door open on one side. It has always been my intention to have that. To have shared pieces of humour across the channel, as it were, has always been the objective. That, in my view, has been abused. That facility that I have tried to provide has been abused in this case. I think we are all the worse for it now because pretty much from now the doors have closed. That is a really sad outcome.
This is about payback. This is about a vendetta. This is a confected smokescreen, as I said yesterday. It is quite clear to any observer that that is so. One of the great pleasures of my life has been to immerse myself in the theories and the principles of parliamentary life. I have tried to promote the separation of parliamentarian from politician and I have spoken in this place about it before.
In my role as an Assistant Speaker—whether it was a Temporary Deputy Speaker or an Assistant Speaker—I have attempted at all times to be nonpartisan, to be as fair as possible and to do the rotations when possible. I observe that from my time in the chair there have been outbursts from all sides of the chamber that I have brought to order, sometimes quite severely. Mr Speaker, I do not believe that I have showed bias in these proceedings.
I do know the processes and the procedures quite well. I know that because of the experience I have as a parliamentarian in this place, not as a politician. What we are seeing at work with this motion is people playing politics. They are not playing parliamentarians. They are playing politics and I do not intend to engage.
Mr Speaker, I will not stand by and have my own inadequacies used as a tool to threaten the integrity of the Chief Minister. It will not happen. I have offered her my resignation as the whip, as a remunerated position, as a demonstration of the strength of my commitment to this team.
Everybody goes through difficulties in political life. We all do. But this Labor team has always operated as a team and it is a very strong one. It has not experienced the backbiting that those opposite have experienced. I am very proud to have been a member of that. Indeed, this morning was my first opportunity to speak to the Labor caucus as a group. I expressed my apology for letting them all down.
Mr Speaker, in doing this I have recognised 18 months ago that a problem occurred with me. I have paid a penalty for that. It was in my understanding the honourable
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