Page 3005 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 5 December 1989
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will leave it up to Mr Collaery, perhaps later in the day, to make a personal statement.
Matters such as that have resulted in a very low regard for this Assembly. Members, do you feel as I do when I wander around out in the community, saying, "Hi, I'm Bill Wood, I am from the Legislative Assembly"? I wonder whether you have had some of the responses I have had. Perhaps you do not move around very much. Look at the polls in the papers. (Extension of time granted)
We should look at those. I am now vindicated, Mr Speaker, for my decision to keep a pretty low profile, because I have no doubt that, if the Canberra Times had indicated my name, people might not have disapproved of me; they might have said, "Who is he?". But there is no question that this Assembly is in poor repute - not the Government, not Rosemary Follett, but this Assembly - and some of our actions have brought that about.
This motion of no confidence, this rapid change of government, this opportunistic grab, is not going to help that. Have a look at those figures. I suppose we are all a little sceptical of polls when we do not like them. Perhaps what should happen is that 16 of us should walk out of here and leave it to Rosemary Follett. That is what the polls tell us. That is what the polls tell us, and you have got the gall to sit over there and say, "We have no confidence in Rosemary Follett". Rosemary Follett is the only one that the community has confidence in. Why do you not accept what the community says? No; your egos will not allow that to happen. I do not mind your ambitions, but not those egos.
There is no way that this motion can be sustained. Half a year ago you were unable to form a government. Rosemary Follett and the ALP did so, and did so very successfully. In the short life of this parliament you have not demonstrated a vision. Today you have provided no justification, you have shown no credibility, you do not have the qualities needed for government. Rosemary Follett should remain Chief Minister.
MR HUMPHRIES (3.31): Mr Speaker - - -
Mr Wood: Well, someone got up finally.
MR HUMPHRIES: We have already had two speakers from this side of the chamber, Mr Wood, if you had not noticed.
Mr Wood: Who was the other one?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Duby was. We are debating a motion of no confidence in the Chief Minister and a motion of confidence in the ability of my colleague Mr Kaine to form a government from among the membership of this Assembly. In moving the no-confidence motion, Mr Collaery has drawn attention to a number of things, among which was the fact
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