Page 2255 - Week 08 - Thursday, 7 June 1990
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Mr Speaker, I go on with the words of Mr Jensen in this house on 21 November. He said:
What these two Bills we are debating tonight will do is entrench an industry within the ACT fiscus. Bills, if passed tonight, will ensure that the Treasury will have some difficulty in removing this tax ... I looked very carefully in the ACT Government's budget policy and nowhere did I find any reference to a tax on the X-rated video industry -
nor did I in the Alliance's policy -
It may be ... that this new policy that seems to have come out of nowhere is to ensure that an industry which is banned in every State except the Northern Territory will have a permanent home in the ACT. One may be so bold as to suggest that this is the real reason behind this tax Bill tonight ... I must admit that it finds some favour with me. That is the reason why I am joining with my colleagues on what is a conscience vote for Rally members in voting against these Bills tonight.
Mr Jensen, what happened?
Let us have a look at what the Speaker, Mr Prowse, said. I quote:
I have been lobbied by people from Townsville to Tasmania and from Penrith to Perth on this issue. Now is the time to show some leadership for our community. I believe that the raising of income from pornography is inappropriate and unacceptable for the ACT as Australia's capital. This Bill offends the sensitivity and sensibility of not only the people of the ACT but people throughout Australia. Canberra is the Australian capital. We need to stand above the rest ...
Members have said ... that this Bill is only about money and this tax will not legitimise pornography. That is absolute rubbish. I ask the question: if this is so why are the members of the porn industry supporting its introduction? ... it is irresponsible for the Chief Minister to claim that we are going to collapse under the pressure of this lack of income. This is absolutely hysterical behaviour on behalf of the Chief Minister.
Lastly, Mrs Nolan said:
I am positive all the advice from all those women on the council to the Chief Minister would have been not to put forward such a piece of
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