Page 1578 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 27 September 1989
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to the whole of the ACT, if we had borrowed Alan Bond's painting Irises and someone had accidentally put his boot through it. How embarrassed we all would have been in those circumstances. This is no less the case here, with the Winfield Cup.
Mr Wood: Well, someone put their elbow through a Monet, or something, in the National Gallery.
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, indeed, and I hope we were very embarrassed on that occasion too, Mr Wood. But I think the Winfield Cup is certainly much better known than any Monet I am aware of.
I cannot overemphasise how careless the Canberra Raiders must have been to allow this to happen. I understand that it was the result of a car accident. I do not understand why one of the Raiders could not simply have dived down and saved the trophy from smashing. That would have been very easy. I saw many such heroic acts on Sunday. It would have been a simple matter to have dived down and saved the cup. I should have realised that the cup would be broken, because on Monday, at the reception, Mr Stefaniak and I tried to pick up the cup to see how heavy it was, and we were unable to do so - at least, I was unable to do so by myself. We noticed it was broken. I am deeply distressed.
Mr Duby: It was broken then.
MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed, Mr Duby, it was broken then. Now, I immediately suspected Minister Berry. I thought, "Aha, they have detached the bit that says 'Winfield Cup' - early implementation of the anti-tobacco sponsorship legislation". But, no, that was not the case. As I said, I tried to pick it up but to no avail. My hopes of becoming five-eighth in the Canberra Raiders have been permanently shattered on the grounds of being too puny. But I realised then, of course, that it was broken.
It goes without saying that it is not a proper cup. You try pouring a bit of victory champagne into that and you will not get very far! I think that this is a reprehensible act of the worst kind. I want to give notice of my motion of censure of the Canberra Raiders for their careless use of the cup on that day. I also think this matter should be referred to Mr Bill Wood's inquiry into public behaviour.
ACT Flag
MR WOOD (5.33): Mr Speaker, the Winfield Cup might well be referred to the inquiry into the arts. I am sure it is a work of art. While I am on that subject, let me say that I misled the house. I said that someone had put an elbow through a Monet. I understand, on professional advice, that it was a Rothko, at a significant display a little while ago.
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