Page 47 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 16 February 1993
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OFFENSIVE WORDS
MADAM SPEAKER: Members, at the meeting of the Assembly on 26 November last year, I undertook to consider certain words used in debate and rule on them later. Standing order 54 states:
A Member may not use offensive words against the Assembly or any Member thereof or against any member of the judiciary.
Standing orders also place upon the Speaker a responsibility to determine whether or not words are offensive or disorderly. The words my attention was drawn to are "a litany of half-truths", used to describe a member's speech, at page 3490, and "a whole range of Goebbels-speak", used with reference to comments by a member of the Assembly, at page 3493. The Macquarie Dictionary defines "half-truth" as "a proposition or statement only partly true, esp. a statement intended to mislead or deceive".
Having considered the words complained of and the context in which they were used, I have determined that they are out of order. The word "half-truths" imputes an improper motive to a member as it implies that she sought to mislead or deceive the Assembly. The word "Goebbels-speak" not only implies the use by members of propaganda - a charge that in itself could not be regarded as offensive in this context - but implies the use of propaganda of an insidious or deceitful type. This, I have concluded, is offensive. I therefore call on Mr Berry to withdraw both of those terms.
Mr Berry: I withdraw, and apologise to Mr Goebbels.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Berry. I also note that on the same day I undertook to examine the Hansard following a point of order concerning an imputation contained in a comment by the Leader of the Opposition. The words used with reference to Mr Berry were:
You have been caught with your hand in the bickie barrel. That is your problem.
Those words appear on page 3495. Having considered the Hansard, I have determined that the words used imply that Mr Berry had committed a crime or was guilty of a misdemeanour. I therefore call upon Mr Kaine to withdraw the words.
Mr Kaine: Madam Speaker, I do not know whether they were Jatz or Iced Vo-Vo, but if you find the words offensive I withdraw them.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Kaine.
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