Page 741 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 5 July 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR COLLAERY: Yes, I claim to have been misrepresented.
MR SPEAKER: You may proceed.
MR COLLAERY: Mr Speaker, my attention has been drawn this afternoon, whilst we have been sitting, to a press release issued headed "Ellnor Grassby Apologises". In that press release Mrs Grassby is reported as referring to the following:
I was very angry when Bernard Collaery attacked me personally and unfairly this morning. In my anger, I referred to a group of people in the Assembly precincts as "rent-a-crowd".
Mrs Grassby goes on to say:
Yesterday Mr Collaery referred to the community and union groups who were protesting against Mr Stefaniak's police powers bill as rent-a-crowd and grunters...
Mrs Grassby says she was simply reacting to my remarks. Mr Speaker, my colleague Mr Moore drew attention to the need for veracity in this house and elsewhere. I will read from the Hansard, which has just come off the press, fortunately. I will read for the record my comments at page 70 of the daily Hansard of yesterday because I have been seriously misrepresented in this media release. In that comment I referred to the BWIU protesting, coming off a job site. I went on to state that the motion put by Mr Duby should produce in the ACT a greater consciousness of where we are going democratically. I then said:
And when education spreads through the community people cannot be herded off job sites like sheep to come and grunt and make noises.
My comments were clearly related to a group of unionists who came to yell down speakers with whom they did not agree. Mr Speaker, this press release, issued under the hand of this Minister, refers to me describing the community as rent-a-crowd and grunters.
Mrs Grassby: They are members of the community.
MR COLLAERY: They are indeed members of the community, but this press release, Mr Speaker, is intended to mislead, and of course does not take up the truth of my comments. Finally, Mr Speaker, Mrs Grassby refers to my comments as including "rent-a-crowd" and "grunters". I do not claim to have used that sobriquet "rent-a-crowd". Regrettably, it was my friend Mr Humphries; it was not me. This is an inaccurate press release. It has not been prepared with the assistance of the Hansard, and it again indicates the extent to which other persons in this house will alter the facts as shown in Hansard to suit their purposes.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .