Page 2267 - Week 08 - Thursday, 7 June 1990
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donation received from the X-rated video industry not so long ago. I wonder whether they can really afford that. I think that that would cause grave embarrassment to our colleagues in the ALP. I am well aware that they are in some financial difficulties at the present time. I seem to recall hearing an appeal by Bob Hawke the other day on television or radio. He was saying, "We're a bit short of money at the moment. Please rally around and give us some support". I also recall reading that the ALP has a rather serious deficit from the last ACT Assembly election. Yet they suggest that we should take a course of action which would mean morally, since the suggestion came from a member of the ALP, that the ALP should hand back its donation.
Mr Connolly, I realise that you have not been around for very long but I am really not very keen to take the ALP to the wall. I appreciate the opposition that you provide in this place and I would hate to see you having to fork out $8,500 that you do not really have. I believe that in all the circumstances it is appropriate that we do not take the course of action suggested by Mr Connolly.
It is quite clear to me and to my colleagues - and I speak on behalf of those that voted for and those that voted against the proposal to ban X-rated videos that Mr Stevenson brought forward some time ago - that this issue has been thoroughly and completely canvassed in this Assembly. We all ought to abide by the decision until such time as an indication appears that the Assembly's view has changed. I have not seen any indication that people who took particular views on that particular night - and I think it was 24 April - have changed them. As far as I can tell, those views remain the same. Therefore, it is the clear view of this parliament of the ACT that X-rated videos should not be banned at this point. I personally regret that decision but I do not have the power to change it and I do not believe I have the moral right to ensure that some alternative course of action should happen by stealth, as Mr Connolly suggests.
I want to address some of the points that Mr Stevenson has raised in his remarks. He has quoted at great length the comments of members on this side of the chamber concerning the banning of X-rated videos. It is unfortunate that he is not here to continue this debate, to watch the fire that he has begun being dealt with by those on this side of the chamber. I have to say that I very much regret that we are spending valuable time today raking over this dead issue when we should be dealing with matters of considerable importance that appear on the notice paper.
I think that Mr Stevenson does himself no credit whatsoever when he forces us to waste time in this shameful fashion. I also notice that this afternoon he wants us to waste even more time on another issue. Mr Stevenson is not exactly bearing his weight in this Assembly. He is not exactly earning his $40,000 with his participation in things in this Assembly. To my knowledge, that will be the first
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