Page 2690 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 12 August 2015
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We have seen it time and time again; this is not news for us. The odd occurrence here, though, is that Mr Doszpot, in good faith, having had discussions with Minister Rattenbury, has circulated an amendment which are Mr Rattenbury’s words. Mr Rattenbury now is standing in this place and arguing against his own position that he held yesterday evening. Based on what he has said so far, Mr Rattenbury is now going to stand up in this place and vote against himself. He is going to vote against what he argued for yesterday because in the intervening period Mr Barr, again, has been able to convince him, “No, Shane, this is what’s in your best interests.”
It is disappointing in terms of the result, but it is also disappointing that, again, we have seen a member of this place, a representative of our community, say one thing, peddle a line, run an argument right up to the eleventh hour and then acquiesce to his Labor masters.
I will obviously be supporting Mr Doszpot’s amendment to what Mr Barr has put forward. I implore Mr Rattenbury to support it, given they are Mr Rattenbury’s words that have been cut and pasted into this by Mr Doszpot. It will be weird—that is probably the best word—if Mr Rattenbury does do not support that. Again, it calls into question what on earth Mr Rattenbury’s motives are in all of this.
But that all said and done, what we will achieve in this place today, regardless of which way Mr Rattenbury votes for his own words, is a good result for the community. It is a step forward. It may not be as far as perhaps we could have gone because Mr Rattenbury has decided to walk away from his words, but it still is a step forward. I commend you, Mr Doszpot, and I commend the members of the community that have been advocating.
I give this advice to members of the community: perhaps not be trusting of this government. We have learned in this place, as has been seen today from Mr Rattenbury’s action, that just because the government says something, watch for the weasel words. They are very clever at watering down language so they can then backtrack and do something that is quite different later on. Continue to hold them to account; continue to hold us to account; continue to hold Mr Doszpot to account. Make sure you hold us to account because you deserve it. We are here to represent your interests as the members of the community, not our own interests, which I fear was the government’s plan. If they can have their way I think they will get back there as quickly as they can.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (11.00): I thank the Liberal Party for the colourful character assessment they have just offered of me. It might be entertaining, but it is more important to look at the text in a cool and logical way, and that is what I am about to do. I will compare the two amendments in light of the commentary that has just been given. I will work off Mr Doszpot’s amendment and go through each of them. Yes, I am perfectly happy to admit that this is the proposal I put forward yesterday. But the nature of the discussion is that things have moved on. Let us start with paragraph (a), which is to:
provide an assurance that the Telopea Park tennis courts and change rooms be returned to the school and that any work towards the demolition of these facilities cease;
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