Page 4447 - Week 14 - Thursday, 1 December 1994
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MR CONNOLLY: I am sure that Sir Robert Menzies would have been very surprised if he had seen the Canberra Times this morning. One cannot imagine Sir Robert Menzies deciding suddenly, at no notice, "Oh, let us allow cannabis on prescription", and then appearing on the news that night and saying, "Oh, sorry, police; we should have told you what we were going to do. We really regret having no consultation. Sorry, public of Canberra; if we had known, we would have given you a call. It just came into our heads. We just did it". This is the once great Liberal Party.
Mr Humphries: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: Mr Connolly has repeatedly reflected on the vote of the Assembly yesterday. One or two transgressions might be forgiven, because he feels very upset about being gazumped about this; but the fact is, Madam Speaker, that the standing orders are very clear about this, and I would ask you to hold him in line with those standing orders.
MADAM SPEAKER: House of Representatives Practice, in dealing with reflecting on a vote, clearly advises the Speaker to be very lenient in its application. I was preparing a statement to make last time Mr Moore brought this to my attention. I have not done so because we have not been reflecting on a Bill. I will ask Mr Connolly to desist; but I caution members that it is a rule that is not used in any other parliament. The green book advises the Speaker to go easy.
Mr Humphries: But it is in our standing orders.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, please!
MR CONNOLLY: Mr Humphries, rest assured that the Government will give you all the credit for what you did yesterday on cannabis. We feel in no way bitter. We feel in no way that we have been gazumped. You can have all the credit. You have all the credit all around Australia and all around the world, and Liberal supporters are scratching their heads and wondering.
Madam Speaker, in the past, the Liberal Party has made strong statements about the heroin trials; but it has also made strong statements about cannabis. Then it has done - well, I cannot reflect on votes of the Assembly, but Assembly members and members of the public may care to look in the public media and see what happened yesterday. This Government's approach to the heroin trial remains, as it has always been, one of looking at it with great interest, a cautious approach, determined to build up some coalitions of support, and to do it only if it is supported nationally, if it is supported through the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, if there is agreement - - -
Mrs Carnell: Exactly our position.
MR CONNOLLY: Madam Speaker, Mrs Carnell says that that is her position. It may be today, Mrs Carnell. Who would have known what your position on cannabis was 48 hours ago? You did not say anything to the public of Canberra. On Monday, on Whiplash, Mr Humphries did not say, "By the way, folks, we are going to have cannabis on prescription on Wednesday in the Assembly". Who knows where the Liberal Party stands on this issue? What we do know is that the public is very worried at the erratic behaviour of the Liberal Party.
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