Page 2799 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 21 November 1989
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and are enforced. The correspondence that the Government Law Office has had from the Australian Federal Police confirms in writing that there are no recorded complaints from the public about minors obtaining access to X-rated videos or restricted areas.
Ms Maher has alluded to the parental responsibilities in these matters. I think it is laudable that she has done so. It is the parents' responsibility within their own home to protect their children from material which quite clearly is not suitable for children. That is a parental responsibility. As I have said, Mr Speaker, it appears from the police experience that there is not an existing problem with minors obtaining access to X-rated videos through the outlets.
Mr Collaery, in his extraordinary remarks, commented that the franchise was more than a taxing instrument. It is not, Mr Speaker. I put it to you that it is a budget measure of significance to the ACT's revenue, that it is a legitimate tax on a well established ACT industry, that the burden falls evenly on the Australia-wide clients of the industry rather than solely on ACT residents and, in addition, it introduces further regulation of the industry, which will be welcomed by concerned ACT residents.
To conclude quickly, Mr Speaker, if the Assembly chooses to deny this revenue to the people of the ACT, I think it has to think very, very carefully about the implications of denying them a legitimate tax such as this, of denying them $5m in revenue. Further, Mr Speaker, as we have had clear indications from around the Assembly that members will be moving at a later stage to ban the industry altogether, they want to think very carefully about the people who are employed in that industry - employed legally - and where they might find them alternative employment.
Question put:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
The Assembly voted -
AYES, 8 NOES, 9
Mr Berry Mr Collaery
Mr Duby Mr Humphries
Ms Follett Mr Jensen
Mrs Grassby Mr Kaine
Ms Maher Dr Kinloch
Mr Moore Mrs Nolan
Mr Whalan Mr Prowse
Mr Wood Mr Stefaniak
Mr Stevenson
Question so resolved in the negative.
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