Page 1259 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 23 August 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Further, I would like to comment on his concept of the politicisation of the Tuggeranong Community Council and to support him when he went on to say that they were interested in interest rates and had actually spoken to Katharine West. He went on further to say that they also supported the police move-on powers. Just because they have different political views from the Deputy Chief Minister does not mean to say that they are politicised. In fact Mr Jensen himself resigned from the Tuggeranong Community Council to allow that body to remain apolitical.
MR STEFANIAK (4.12): I rise to support the remarks made by my leader, Mr Kaine, Mr Humphries, Mr Jensen and also Dr Kinloch. It concerns me that we have to spend time on motions such as this. I think the mover is quite right, though, in bringing this motion before the house, but it is a pity that we have to spend time debating issues such as this.
There is a lot of business now banking up on which the house could better spend its time. I think we all should be mindful of that when we conduct ourselves in the house, not only so that we can get on with the real business, but also so that we create a proper impression for the public. I think some of the things Dr Kinloch said are particularly appropriate there.
I support the motion as amended by my friend and colleague Mr Humphries. I agree that "censure" could well mean that the Chief Minister was left with no alternative but to discharge Mr Whalan from his duties as a Minister, and I think he probably has not, at this stage, gone as far as to warrant anything like that. However, I think he certainly should be admonished for his conduct.
Mr Speaker, Mr Whalan does seem to have some problem with the Tuggeranong Community Council and I can recall - he brought up the subject of the move-on powers - that he interfered in the debate and in fact directed that council to butt out of the debate on the move-on powers. I think I indicated in a question to the house shortly after that and in a press release that he had no right to do that. He certainly did not attempt to tell the TLC or ACTCOSS to butt out. Of course they were supporting his side.
Mr Berry: Why should he do that? They were on our side.
MR STEFANIAK: Exactly; they were on your side. In fact he refers to the repressive move-on powers. I have made it quite clear that the Labor Party's opposition to this very sensible, commonsense power is quite disgraceful. At least Mr Collaery, although he has indeed watered down my original Bill, has consistently supported the need for a move-on power. I commend him for that and I commend indeed his party for their consistent support. It is not perhaps quite the same type of power I would like to see but it is nevertheless a consistent support for that power.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .