Page 246 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 February 2016
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Mr Fluffy home owners. I have met with many of these people over the past couple of years, as I know my colleagues have, and indeed as have those on the other side of the chamber. They should know that the people involved have experienced real tragedy in their lives. They have suffered great mental anguish. Many of them are struggling. The government indeed has recognised that by providing elements of the program that would support those people seeking mental health counselling.
This has been a very difficult issue for the community and, for those people right at the epicentre of this, who in many cases have had their lives destroyed, who have literally had their homes destroyed, this is an issue that requires compassion and sensitivity.
What is happening here today through the minister’s incompetence is outrageous. It is absolutely outrageous. We will have debates in this place about what is technically correct—and the minister is wrong, and I will point that out in a minute—but ultimately the outcome of this minister’s actions today, through his negligence, through his incompetence and through his failure to understand the laws, is that those people affected by Mr Fluffy, those people who are at the epicentre of this trauma, are being deceived by this government, are being run roughshod over by this government and are being further hurt by this government, because this government is incompetent. This minister is incompetent.
Supported by Ms Burch, they have come in here and they have said one thing when others are true. I cannot tell you how close I am to moving no confidence in this minister for having come in to say that this disallowance must be dealt with today, when that is not true. I have spoken to the Clerk. He has provided me with advice. The minister is wrong. The minister does not understand the law. The minister does not understand his own portfolio. He has come in here and said one thing that is not true. He has misrepresented the law, he has misrepresented the truth, and the people who will be hurt by this are the Mr Fluffy families. And don’t you smirk, Mr Rattenbury.
There are people we have spoken to who were in tears, people on the verge of suicide, people who have had their lives destroyed, and this minister comes into this place and says, “This has to happen today,” when that is not true. This is negligent. This is incompetent. This is deceptive. What has happened here today is outrageous. It is appalling. He needs to understand the law. He needs to understand legislation. He needs to understand how disallowable instruments work. He needs to understand that the legislation stands until it is disallowed. He needs to understand that it starts at six days and, of course the notice paper, in terms of how many days are left for disallowance, will change.
Madam Assistant Speaker, I apologise for raising my voice. I apologise for getting angry, but I am angry. I know that there will be many in the community who are angry, and there will be many people who are upset, and unnecessarily so. This has been a difficult journey for so many people, and this minister, through his incompetence, through his negligence and through his failure to represent the truth about legislation and the way it operates has caused further hurt to people who have been extraordinarily damaged—unnecessary hurt. What is happening in this Assembly today is appalling.
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