Page 3050 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 5 December 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
will restrict the opportunity of the citizens of Canberra to observe what is going on. I submit to you that we will see the rights of private members, in the way we have just seen today, being abused by the removal of the opportunity in the traditional period of Wednesday morning for private members to present their matters before this Assembly. That abuse is the beginning of the end of the democratic processes which have been established here in the ACT. I am very concerned about the way in which decisions will be made in the future.
Alliance Government
MR MOORE (6.03): Congratulations, Mr Kaine, on taking your new role as Chief Minister. Following some of the comments made by Mr Whalan, I now seek an assurance from you, Mr Kaine, to this Assembly - at its next sitting would perhaps be the appropriate time - that in fact that will not happen; that the discussion and the openness that has been a part and parcel of this minority government will continue with the new Government; and that the debates will be in the open, in this Assembly, where members of the crossbenches, Mr Stevenson and I, can continue debating each issue on its merits. You will find, I am sure, and I speak for myself here, that on many occasions I will support the initiatives that you attempt to carry, but at the same time I will have no hesitation in opposing any of those issues.
What is the saddest part of the day for me today is that I mourn the loss of a vision that I and many people of Canberra who voted that way had when they voted for the Residents Rally as a new force, as a third force, in the ACT. I believe that what you have achieved is to have a situation where you have reinforced the two-party system into this parliament, along with other parliaments in Australia.
From your perspective, Mr Kaine, I congratulate you as one congratulates a person after one loses a game of cricket. In good spirit and in genuine spirit, I congratulate you in that way on your promotion to Chief Minister and your support, and also on the other matter of achieving the two-party system.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Assembly adjourned at 6.06 pm until Thursday, 7 December 1989, at 10.30 am
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .