Page 3049 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 5 December 1989
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form a cooperative government which will take effect from today. Ten people have signed an accord in which they undertake to stand together as a new government. I would like to place on public record that document by tabling an accord for government between 10 members of this Assembly.
Further, Mr Speaker, to damp down any speculation as to what will occur in the next couple of days, I wish to announce that, although it will be a cooperative form of government in which 10 members of this Assembly will participate, in accordance with the Act, I will appoint three other Ministers. They will be Mr Collaery, Mr Duby, and Mr Humphries. I will announce the allocation of portfolio responsibilities and the details of how this cooperative government will work on Thursday.
I present the following paper:
Accord for government between the ACT Liberal Party, the Residents Rally for Canberra and the Independents Group, dated December 1989.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion (by Mr Kaine) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Alliance Government
MR WHALAN (6.00): This has been the most extraordinary event today, capped off by what we can now see, I think, is going to be the style of this Liberal coalition from now on. One of the points which Michael Moore made so effectively was that, because there was a Labor minority government, the process of government was conducted in the open in this Assembly. We had to compromise, we had to negotiate, we had to argue our position out here in the open. A fundamental part of that process was the sitting pattern of the Assembly. We realised what the position was, and we accepted that. I believe that, notwithstanding the constraints of minority government, we were able to make very substantial achievements.
But already we have seen inroads into that tradition today. I believe that this will be a secret, closet government. It has so many disparate points of view that it will hide itself away to try to resolve those points of view in the secrecy of locked rooms. Government members will not be prepared to come out into the openness of this Assembly to discuss their issues.
I submit to you and the citizens of Canberra that this Assembly will be presented with a sitting program which
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