Page 2210 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 28 August 2007
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MRS BURKE (Molonglo) (4.17): I want to make some very brief comments on this particular section. I have probably said before in this place—and I think we are all well aware—that the Westminster conventions that guide this place have clear foundations outlining things like ministerial conduct, effective performance and probity, and that each of us, on oath, ensures that we attend to our duties with diligence. Perhaps because of its majority, the Stanhope government believes it can conduct itself in a particular manner. Perhaps it can fool some of the people—that is probably us on this side of the house—some of the time, but Canberrans are, by and large, not so easily fooled, I believe.
If we look at the conduct of some of the executive during the estimates hearings, if I can move on to that, we can see that it was totally inappropriate. There has been much discussion, and I do not want to go into too much debate on that, for obvious reasons, but my understanding is that ministers are supposed to set an example. Whilst we are all supposed to set an example, it is particularly down to ministers to set that higher expected level of behaviour—appropriate behaviour.
Today we have heard Mr Hargreaves talk of the behaviour of other members on the committee or other members visiting the committee. He overlooks the fact that in a sense he was the one who was the visitor. He had been invited to attend to answer questions put before him. In effect, when he came down with the attitude of not wanting to conform to that, it set a wrong atmosphere for the whole proceedings. And it is not just one minister who did that. I believe that a couple took themselves into that place—which was unnecessary and inappropriate. I will not say any more on that particular aspect of the estimates hearings.
I want to move on to Mr Stanhope’s comments this morning in relation to page 6 of the tabling statement and the government response to the Select Committee on Estimates 2007-08. Mr Stanhope said:
… the dissenting report from Mr Stefaniak and Mrs Burke lacks balance, objectivity, evidence, research, accuracy and relevance to the issues …
I always have this feeling—and I am most often right—that, whenever Mr Stanhope starts off like that, you can say that the reverse is true. I know the work that went into that. I know the work that the opposition put into that—all members across the board. And so does the Chief Minister. I think that he would have said that quite tongue in cheek.
It is also important and disappointing to note how the Chief Minister tends to twist things that people say. That is rather unfortunate. I am not sure if it is a problem that he has in disseminating information or if he just has a propensity to want to twist things and cause unnecessary ruckus in this place. Again, that is not setting the standard at high executive level. In his statement, the Chief Minister says:
Particularly concerning are the comments in relation to the territory’s health system and health outcomes.
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