Page 777 - Week 05 - Thursday, 6 July 1989
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I say in fairness to Mr Kaine that he probably holds those views honestly and fearlessly, but I do say to my colleague Mr Kaine that the difference between the two of us is: Where do you start with the problems in town; how far can we go; and what is the dividing line between propriety and impropriety? Clearly Mr Kaine and I differ, but I am certain that on the real issue of corruption and ministerial responsibility he agrees.
I regret that that wedge has been pushed between us again by the craftsmen of this house, and I congratulate the craftsmen on that. They have produced a situation where my Rally executive will surely say to me at the next meeting, "It looks as if you are going to have to go it alone". We were warming to a situation where we could determine what would happen if this Chief Minister could no longer at least support two of her Ministers. That looked like an interesting prospect. It looked as if we could get to collegiate government in this chamber. Of course, our hopes are dashed again.
The Australian Labor Party decided to give me unlimited time today to talk about a matter of ministerial and public service impropriety. I have raised in that address a further concern about Mr Whalan. I have indicated to Mrs Grassby that her response was about the loan and not the discharge.
Mrs Grassby: But I have asked you to tell me what you want to know about it and I will tell you. You still have not told me what you want to know.
MR COLLAERY: I have indicated to the Chief Minister that my question to her on 4 July was, in exact terms, that she provide to the Assembly a statement relating to her ministerial colleague. The question I asked of the Minister was this - and I want to remind people who state that we have made an unsubstantiated allegation:
Is she aware that the National Crime Authority has interviewed a former Commissioner for Housing of this Territory, Mr Grills, regarding the discharge of a Commissioner for Housing loan given to one of her ministerial colleagues? If so, would she be prepared to look into the matter and provide a statement to the house on it?
Mrs Grassby: I rise on a point of order, Mr Speaker. I remember the answer of the Chief Minister, who asked for the evidence, and she was prepared to look after it. We seem to have been all around the world with corruption, in every country in the world. Maybe we could go to Herodotus. I believe they had a lot of corruption, too.
MR SPEAKER: What is the point of order?
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