Wayne Berry will not recontest

Mike Crowther – thanks for the correction on the missing decimal. I happen to disagree with Mr Berry on abortion, but even were that not the case, I would see his continual preselection as one reason the local ALP is such a joke. When one of the health union leaders, he was a good argument for abolishing unions – and things picked up when he left. His departure, even if he were replaced by a stuffed bunny, will raise the average intelligence of the Assembly.

he stood up on abortion rights. few politicians have the guts to stand up on that one, and fewer male ones do it. Says a lot about him.

I personally liked him. He is a decent man. Except… that when it came to the crunch between voting in accordance with the wishes of his electorate or voting as directed by his party, he chose his party over the people. This is what happens when parties are voted into what is essentially local government.

I rate Mr Berry. He changed the abortion laws to match those of the rest of Australia after hearing that young Canberra girls were hitchkiking to Sydney.

He also supported the Total Care workers to get their entitlements. And he has not shied away from publically disagreeing with his own party on issues he feels strongly about.

Mr Berry is one of few politician who I believe when he says something.

O, c’mon VicePope have a go…close down schools, shut down libraries, use public money to erect statues of your mates…how hard could it be?

PS: I think you mean .095, (.4 is usually fatal)

Mr Berry, by the end of next year, will have had something like 19 years as a MLA. His achievements have been few (he rated facilitating abortion as a personal triumph), and most of his public utterances unmemorable and of no redeeming value. A hack in every sense. I can only hope that he, and so many others, including “John 0.95” and Mick “Dragster” Gentleman from Brindabella also get marched. The opposition is, if anything, worse.

I’m sure there are better people around, but the major parties seem to use the Assembly as a place to reward their duds and a way to placate interest group representatives. No, I’m not going to be a candidate – I recognise that I lack some of the attributes required.

Can we now expect the Libs and the Labor party to put up stooge ‘Independents’ to pick up that sector? ’emptum caveo’ good people of Ginninderra.

Wayne Berry’s stepping down. What about Minister BAC 0.095% from Tuggeranong – ie John Hargreaves? The man who could have killed somebody because of his foolish behaviour is a disgrace to common decency and offensive to all those who have suffered because of drink drivers.