Page 1962 - Week 07 - Thursday, 31 May 1990
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will represent your own views better. It would be inappropriate, of course, to have the views of the Labor Party expressed in any way, or to have a fear of them being expressed in any way, by the appointment of some people! The Minister did not appropriately consult. I must say, Mr Speaker, that it is a pleasure today to get to my feet a year from when I last spoke. (Extension of time granted)
This is an issue that is important not only for the people of the ACT but for the people of Australia. It is a matter of record that Labor took the initiative, took the ball and ran with it and got the issue going and was well on the way to the introduction of legislation. I remember Mr Collaery's enthusiasm for anti-tobacco legislation and I just wonder what he has done to try to prod this tired Minister along in relation to it - this tired Minister, Mr Humphries.
Mr Speaker, the issue is about getting this legislation before this house and getting it on the statute books. Mr Humphries has yet to produce this legislation, yet the Government still stands in the way of private members' legislation before this house. It is just a matter of stealing thunder. It is not an issue about delivering health services to the people of Canberra. It is not an issue about delivering better health promotion services to the Territory. It is not an issue of delivering a considered response to the introduction of tobacco legislation. It is mere politicking.
This Minister has held up the introduction of legislation. This Government has held up the introduction of anti-tobacco legislation by its churlish blocking tactics in relation to the drafting of private members' legislation, its interference in the drafting of private members' legislation, and as a result more people in the ACT will suffer.
MR HUMPHRIES (Minister for Health, Education and the Arts) (4.01), in reply: Mr Speaker, I have to respond to some of the things that Mr Berry has said on this matter. I regret that it was impossible for him to be gracious on this particular matter. It is a matter on which we have considerable agreement. We have considerable bipartisan agreement across the chamber on what needs to be done, yet Mr Berry still seems to be incapable of acknowledging any sharing of responsibility or benefit from this kind of process. I think his embarrassment is because he had planned to touch down with that ball, he was forced to pass it and it is now going to be someone else who touches down with it. He just feels chagrin about the fact that he cannot be the man who actually does it.
Mr Berry: That is a bit churlish.
MR HUMPHRIES: I think you are being churlish, Mr Berry. I think the Assembly should be reminded that neither I nor Mr Berry was the first person to get this all up and running.
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