Honourable Members Interjecting. Solicitor
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PREMIER'S PRIVATE INTERESTS 2188 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 November 1993 the management of government since October last legal advice, but no specific instructions were given year has been excellent. to counsel. Many recent opinion polls have revealed that the Only in the last few paragraphs of the documents government would not only be returned with its are any opinions given. Paragraph 14 says that the existing members but also it would have an Premier "must have known" and lithe photographs increased majority. No wonder the opposition can were likely to be used". It is a series of assumptions only reach in the gutter and throw mud rather than or presumptions. Clause 16 says "will almost deal with issues of substance. It would be certainly". Oause 17 refers to "presumably benefit unthinkable for the Labor opposition, with its recent Mr Kennett", "the duties of the Premier might poor history, to be regurgitated as a government. It extend to opening" and "manifestly appears". The would again be the guilty party coming to the fore. document talks about appearances and a continuation of assumptions. There is nothing solid Mr E. R. Smith interjected. in the opinion. Mr McNAMARA - The honourable member for It is worth noting that Mark Dreyfus was a Glen Waverley suggests that the document may Ministerial adviser to the former Attorney-General have been drafted by Peter Gavin - that may be so. and then Leader of the Opposition, Mr Jim Kennan, lE the opposition agreed I would be happy to have and was also an adviser to a former police Minister, the document incorporated in Hansard because it Mr Steve Crabb. All I can assume is that much of the raises a number of other issues which reinforce the work was undertaken by Mr Dreyfus and the matter mismanagement of the Labor Party over the past then proceeded from there. It does not give one decade. That is what the Victorian public is much confidence in the way the document was concerned about. Victorians do not want that to created. It is not specific at all. The Leader of the recur. Opposition suggested that there was a threat to take some action under section 55 of the Constitution Act. The so-called legal opinion produced by the The Premier has made it clear that the Leader of the opposition, together with the speech made by the Opposition should either put up or shut up. He can Leader of the OppoSition, reinforces the lack of any go to court and test the matter if he is that confident. factual evidence for the claims that have been But no action has been taken by the opposition. made - and that has been the precise problem No-one can regard this group as being a serious during this whole episode over the past six or seven opposition. weeks. The opposition has continually suggested that there is more to see and that more documents The opposition has made it clear that it is frightened and evidence will be provided, but there has been to take the matter to court. In fact, it is petrified no factual evidence to sustain claims made by the about taking the matter to court. The raising of the opposition. allegations in Parliament is as far as it will go. There was even a huge division in opposition ranks about It is worth noting that the first half of this so-called having the motion brought on for debate today. legal opinion recites chapter and verse what happened in a factual sense and then paragraph 11 Mark Dreyfus not only continually worked for the makes an extraordinary statement: former Leader of the Opposition, Jim Kennan, following the election but he was also a Ministerial We do not have specific instructions ... adviser prior to the election. He has almost been on a full-time consultancy basis for the honourable I should have thought anyone seeking legal advice member for Albert Park, chasing up various would first provide specific instructions as to what freedom of information requests. was required and what the claims were. That was not given to the Queen's Counsel or his instructing Honourable members interjecting. solicitor. When the document was returned it was not addressed to anyone. The brief just appeared Mr McNAMARA - The purpose of the from nowhere. Surely the Leader of the OppOSition, Members of Parliament (Register of Interests) Act the Deputy Leader of the Opposition or perhaps the 1978 is to enact a code of conduct for members of the de facto Leader, the honourable member for Albert Victorian Parliament, to establish a register of Park, would have made the suggestion to obtain certain interests of members of Parliament and for other purposes. It is interesting to note how selective PREMIER'S PRIVATE INTERESTS Wednesday, 24 November 1993 ASSEMBLY 2189 the opposition has been in using some sections of the members of the ALP and which showed the extent Act. The Qualifications Committee reported on the to which the Labor Party did not keep its eyes on the question of conflicts of interest of members and ball. In the 1980s Victoria had a Premier who was Ministers of the Crown. Under the heading "code of good at counting paper clips, pencils and biros and conduct" it said how important it was for members good at making sure all the paper pads were where of Parliament to have knowledge and experience in they should be. But when it came to watching what activities and businesses that they gained outside was happening with the State Bank or Tricontinental their Parliamentary duties. That is one of the major or Pyramid - the billion dollar issues - he lost problems that the opposition has. There is a dearth sight of the ball. The more I see of the honourable of experience in business affairs or general member for Broadmeadows, the more he reminds management. Members of the Press Gallery have me of a poor man's John Cain. He has his miserable made it clear that the prospects of this opposition nature. forming government are unlikely. If the opposition had to form a Cabinet of 20 or so members it would Honourable members interjecting. be lucky to even find a six-pack. Even if they combined their numbers in this House with those in Mr McNAMARA - He displays all the pettiness another place it would be a pretty flat six-pack at of the former Premier and his ability to focus on the that. It would be one that had the tops removed a minor issues while ignoring the major ones - but long time ago. It is a sad insight into the depths of without the former Premier's intellect. If the Labor the opposition that it is regarded with ridicule by Party had searched high and low to pick a Leader to everyone who visits the Chamber, particularly those make our task easy, it could not have picked in the Press Gallery who observe them on a daily someone better. I know there is great -- basis. Mr Thomson interjected. I wish the honourable member for Broadmeadows well. I wish him the best of health because the last The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable thing the government wants is his removal from that member for Pascoe Vale will cease interjecting. position. The Leader of the Opposition has been the best thing the government has going for it. Who Mr McNAMARA - I know many members would want to lose John Brumby as an opponent? opposite are disgusted by the Leader of the He is the best thing that any government in Oppositi:>n's failure to perform -particularly those Australia has going for it. I recognise that there are who served in the previous government as others who are keen to take on the position. There is Ministers. They just sit there during question time great ambition among opposition backbenchers such day after day shaking their heads in amazement and as the honourable member for Albert Park. wondering what harebrained scheme he will come up with. Even the honourable member for Northcote Paragraph 6 talks about the value of having sits there bemused, wondering what he will do next. members of Parliament with experience of the world outside: I very strongly support the actions of the Premier. I have had the opportunity to discuss these issues The Committee is of the opinion that members could with my colleagues and I have no doubt there is not not be expected to completely divorce themselves from one member on this side of the House who doubts outside activities. the integrity of the Premier. If the opposition were prepared to give honourable members on the Quite right! We should have members of Parliament opposition side a free vote on the issue, I believe who continue to carry on businesses, who continue more than half would vote with the government. their involvement in law firms and who continue to run their farms. Those activities enable them to Honourable members interjecting. understand how best to manage; and at the end of the day Victorian taxpayers reap the benefit in the Mr McNAMARA - There is the bullyboy form of better government. responsible for the standover tactics for which the Labor Party is so famous. He will exert pressure on We do not want to see a return to the shocking any opposition member who wishes to vote for the shenanigans that went on during the 1980s, as government. I hope the Deputy Leader of the detailed, for example, by the document on the OppOSition, who was so treacherously dealt with by goings on in Tullamarine, which was circulated by his Leader, will take this opportunity to vote with PREMIER'S PRIVATE INTERESTS 2190 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 November 1993 the government.