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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (9 April) . . Page.. 811 ..

MR BERRY (4.58): Mr Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond to some of the comments that were made by Mr Moore. The first thing that comes through in Mr Moore's speech is the envy, because he would not be able to gather a group of people together to form a party which would support the way he operates in this place. Leave that aside; let us look at the hypocrisy. This is the person who said that there was not a skerrick of evidence about the conflict of interest which applied in respect of the Chief Minister of the ACT. If Mr Moore or Mrs Carnell had the courage of their convictions they would try to apply the conflict of interest standing order which applies in this Assembly.

Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I believe that Mr Berry is reflecting directly on a vote of the Assembly and misleading the Assembly at the same time, because I am quite sure that is not what I said.

MR BERRY: What? If Mr Moore had a skerrick of interest and principle about this issue, he would apply the conflict of interest standing order; he would seek to move a motion to prevent people from voting. Indeed, they cannot use that standing order because there is no conflict of interest within the meaning of the standing orders. There is no conflict of interest - not to the extent that applied in respect of Mrs Carnell. You could not use that standing order in respect of the Labor Party, and you know it. That is why you have not tried it on. This is no more than a political stunt. It sets new standards in which people may well be interested. It is anti-party from Mr Moore, because they are his challenge. When a collective puts their energies into having certain people elected to perform a particular political task - - -

Debate interrupted.

MR SPEAKER: Order! It being 5.00 pm, I propose the question:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

Mr Humphries: I require the question to be put forthwith without debate.

Question resolved in the negative.

Debate resumed.

MR BERRY: Let us look at the Liberals' position. Here they are criticising Labor Party members because the clubs make a contribution to the Labor Party. The interesting things that Michael Moore commented on and which are occurring in the UK are precisely democracy at work, and the people will have their say in respect of that.

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