Page 3967 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 23 October 1990
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debate. I refer to her comments about Mr Mandela and the statement that this Assembly in some way had done something that was prejudicial to Mr Mandela's cause, or whatever. I notice that the Leader of the Opposition is not here, as usual.
Mr Speaker, that address tonight was a sham address. It was a sham speech of outrage. As usual, her comments were words of venom and bile and, if anything, to me they dripped with falsehood. The simple fact is, as Mr Humphries commented, that if Mr Mandela were to read the motion that was passed by this Assembly - almost unanimously - I am sure he would be delighted by the descriptions of good wishes and concern that were expressed by that motion. It was supported by all members of this Government and, I might add, by the members opposite as well, with the exception of one. So, to pretend that somehow we had done something prejudicial to Mr Mandela's cause or to his reputation, or anything like that, is simply outrageous. Anyway, that is enough of that.
I would like to comment also on the statement made by Mr Moore. Today is the first anniversary of his parting of the ways with the Residents Rally.
Mr Moore: My long and detailed statement.
MR DUBY: Yes, it was too.
Mr Moore: You were sorry you missed out on the champagne.
MR DUBY: That is a point also. More to the point, if the 12 months is up that means that we are now into the decree nisi stage, and it will be decree absolute by 23 November. You will then be legally free, Mr Moore, to conjoin officially with a new partner. And we know exactly where you will go to find that.
Mr Nelson Mandela - Visit to Canberra
MR CONNOLLY (10.29): Mr Speaker, I rise tonight, provoked by Mr Duby's attack on the Leader of the Opposition's very measured comments on the recent visit of Mr Mandela. Mr Speaker, the attacks by the Government were mealy-mouthed in the extreme. This Assembly brought shame on itself through the widely reported comments that Mr Mandela was a communist and that there had been communist influence in the ANC. We could not give a key to the city to Mr Mandela because it was unprecedented. One of the commercial television stations in this town that evening, I believe, showed file footage of a Government Minister presenting the key to the city to a circus bear. Mr Speaker, what a shameful proposition! We cannot contemplate giving the key to the city to one of the dominant political figures of the twentieth century, but we can give the key to the city to a circus bear. That, in itself, was outrageous.
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