Page 1952 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 24 October 1989
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up against another, and in so doing it has failed to share the Bill preparation role. It has failed to share, as it could have in May, the law-making capacities presented to it by its ministerial office and, Mr Speaker, the fundamental issue returns again to this floor. I am anxious that there not be a fractious debate. The fundamental issue is that there is no lawyer in this Government.
Mr Whalan: There is none on the other side to speak of.
MR COLLAERY: There is no lawyer in that Government and as well, there is, of course, a great deal of game playing coming from a government which has learned its tactics largely out of parliamentary office and in party and caucus rooms. When those tactics translate themselves to this Assembly floor we see the repute into which the chamber descends when we do not have before us adequate notice of the intentions of the Government over a decent part of its term for its legislative program. It may well be, Mr Speaker, that this Government is able to salve the mess it has got into by giving us a forward program to indicate whether it has got something useful to do beyond the next few weeks.
Any lay person who looks at a table of ordinances in the ACT knows that there are amendments, reforms and repeals crying out for action in the Territory. We have seen years of work by the law reform commissions, local and Federal, with recommendations being made. Looking through an index, I see the Animal Nuisance Control Ordinance, the Dog Control Ordinance, the Door to Door Sales Ordinance, the Evidence Ordinance, the Landlord and Tenant Ordinance, the Leases (Special Purposes) Ordinance - and we know the problems that are arising out of that anachronistic ordinance with respect to requests by bodies who have been granted special leases to profit by the sale or conversion of them.
I see the Liquor Ordinance. I think the Liberal Party is proposing something but it is well within the capacity of this Government to do something. I see the Litter Ordinance and the Mental Health Ordinance - we have heard some noises and proposals there - the Mining Ordinance, which relates to sand mining and environmental issues, and ordinances on more specific things where the Minister responsible did not see fit to even consult or speak to me or other lawyers in this chamber. I see the Partnership Ordinance. I mentioned the Evidence Ordinance. There are a number of other areas that need reform.
From a social justice point of view, the Scaffolding and Lifts Ordinance needs reforms and amendments. I will not go into the details. They relate to safety and proper working conditions at sites, and not all can be solved by simple concentration, for party political reasons, on occupational health and safety. There are actual enforceable regulations under the Scaffolding and Lifts Ordinance.
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