Page 2279 - Week 08 - Thursday, 7 June 1990
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of all the people of Canberra and the ACT. At that time, I believed that Trevor Kaine had the integrity and ability to fully grasp the issues relating to the economy of the ACT, which was clearly in difficulty because of a long period of neglect on the part of Federal governments. This was clearly identified by Justice Else-Mitchell's recent report and it is a problem that even the Federal Labor member for Fraser, John Langmore, has accepted, although we find that the responsible Minister and member for Canberra, Mrs Ros Kelly, is not so forthcoming. In fact, she prevaricates on this issue at great length. It took her almost three days to be smoked out to talk on this important issue and its effect on the people of Canberra.
During the period since 5 December 1989 I have been given no reason to change my view in relation to the integrity or ability of Mr Kaine. If anything, my initial view has been strengthened, so I do not propose to say any more on that point. I will rest my case.
Let me comment briefly on my position in relation to the X-rated industry and that of the Rally, particularly my own since that has been brought into the debate by Mr Stevenson. If I had my druthers, the industry would be banned, not only in the ACT but throughout Australia.
Mrs Grassby: You have got the chance of doing it now.
MR JENSEN: I will come to that. This parliament has chosen not to pass such legislation, so in accordance with the policy of the Rally and the Government we have regulated the industry. This is something that the Opposition failed to do when it was in government and had the opportunity. As my colleague Mr Collaery has said, this was one of the reasons why it was not appropriate to support their tax.
The industry should be regulated if this parliament decides not to ban it in the ACT. In this case it was not inappropriate for the Alliance Government to tax the industry. Why should an industry that this Assembly has chosen to legitimise not be taxed? I may not agree with the industry, but why should we give it a free ride in the taxing arena? We must tax the industry, especially in view of the legacy left to us by past Federal and ACT Labor administrations. This is why I choose to vote for this tax, and I think it is important to put this on the record. I am indicating this stance to all people who write to me on this issue, and I will continue to do so. At least I reply to letters that come to me. Mrs Kelly, for example, has not seen fit to reply to certain letters that I have sent her on important issues affecting her constituency.
I refer to Mr Stevenson's comments on the suggestion that Canberra families, especially children, have the same degree of access to or spend the same time in the industrial suburbs to which it is proposed to send this industry as they do at the local shopping centre or in the
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