Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2496 ..

MR SPEAKER: Order! You are out of order and you are out of your seat, Mr Moore.

MR BERRY: This person, who worries about sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, is terribly conservative when it comes to the conservative political parties. He would not undermine them. Mr Speaker, if Mr Moore wants to criticise the decision of the Prime Minister instead of criticising the Prime Minister, we will support an amended motion so that it is a unanimous motion, but we will first of all support our own.

The next thing I would like to raise is the petition that has been circulated around the place by Mrs Littlewood. It is not a serious petition. First of all, it is a bit of electioneering, because it has Mrs Littlewood's name plastered all over it, and it would be an out-of-order petition in the context of this place. But it is not even a petition to the Federal Parliament. It is a little note to John Howard. He will say, "Oh, well, very interesting", and that will be the end of that. It will not appear on the public record anywhere. It might appear in the Canberra Times somewhere or in the Chronicle. The next time you will see it will be under some litter in the garden.

Mr Speaker, we will support our own motion first, but we will recognise the wish of the Assembly. If it is the wish of the Assembly to endorse the amendment that has been moved by Mr Moore, we will support the amended motion if the amendment is passed by the Assembly; but we would first of all recommend to members that they take the stronger line.

Amendment agreed to.

MR WOOD (11.32), in reply: Mr Speaker, the Chief Minister worried me. She said that this is a stunt. I admit that that worries me, because no-one knows a stunt better than the Chief Minister. If you look at the record of the Chief Minister and at mine, you will find that my record in this place is that I am not about chasing stunts. She asked, "Why now?". I will tell her. After hearing Fahey and after seeing Liberal literature - in my case, coming out of Rod Kemp's office - my anger was rearoused. As I drove past the Lodge, I said, "We must continue our efforts. We must do more and more to bring home to the Prime Minister the message that he should live there".

I first came to Canberra when Malcolm Fraser was in the Lodge. I had been a long-time member of the Labor Party, and I resisted Malcolm Fraser. But it was, nevertheless, as a new resident of Canberra, a source of pride to me that this was the Prime Minister's Lodge and I could see the flag flying there, which I believe signifies his presence in the Lodge, or in the town. So what do we do? There have been from all sides - not just from this Assembly but from well beyond this Assembly - protests about it. I believe that we need a concerted protest from the elected representatives of the people of Canberra; hence my moving this motion.

I think any motion from an elected Assembly is a significant one, and one which carries a strong message. Therefore, I look to its carriage with anticipation. I believe that the motion as I framed it was the better motion. It was a stronger motion. But, if some in the Assembly want a weaker motion, so be it. I believe that the amendment has significantly reduced the impact of the motion; but this will be carried. The Opposition

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .