Mr EDE - 1996-02-29
The Chief Minister has been caught out again. I refer him to his answer to the dorothy dixer about the Greek community and the church. I point out to him that the federal member, Mr Snowdon, the party secretary and Mr Dino Hodge were at the Greek church. However, they had received the prior permission of the president of the Greek Orthodox Community Council and the priest, Father Peter. In fact, Father Peter had an official meeting with the member after the service. Why will the Chief Minister not tell the truth in this Assembly? Why does he continually mislead it?
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Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has no right to imply that the Chief Minister has lied.
Mr EDE: I was simply asking the question
Mr SPEAKER: You cannot do that except by means of a substantive motion. I ask you to withdraw the comment.
Mr EDE: Mr Speaker, I withdraw. I will put it a different way. Will he take the opportunity now to stand up and tell the truth?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, complaints were made to me by members of the Greek community. Warren Snowdon, through his office, did ask the president of the Greek Community Council and he was told that it was not a good idea. In fact, he went to see the priest after the service. That is the first issue. The Leader of the Opposition's facts are wrong. He should not obtain his information from some party political hack adviser. He should ask members of the Greek community and let them tell him how they felt about it.
Mr Ede: They had permission. The priest gave it to them.
Mr STONE: However, putting all that to one side, do you really think that it is kosher that political parties should take their campaigns into churches? Do you really think that is the way to go? I challenge you to disassociate yourself from that type of slimy political activity, and you are not a big enough man to do it. They did not have permission at all.
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Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has no right to imply that the Chief Minister has lied.
Mr EDE: I was simply asking the question
Mr SPEAKER: You cannot do that except by means of a substantive motion. I ask you to withdraw the comment.
Mr EDE: Mr Speaker, I withdraw. I will put it a different way. Will he take the opportunity now to stand up and tell the truth?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, complaints were made to me by members of the Greek community. Warren Snowdon, through his office, did ask the president of the Greek Community Council and he was told that it was not a good idea. In fact, he went to see the priest after the service. That is the first issue. The Leader of the Opposition's facts are wrong. He should not obtain his information from some party political hack adviser. He should ask members of the Greek community and let them tell him how they felt about it.
Mr Ede: They had permission. The priest gave it to them.
Mr STONE: However, putting all that to one side, do you really think that it is kosher that political parties should take their campaigns into churches? Do you really think that is the way to go? I challenge you to disassociate yourself from that type of slimy political activity, and you are not a big enough man to do it. They did not have permission at all.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016