Page 2466 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 7 August 1990
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thought before the last election. It says, "Next Saturday you will vote", et cetera, and it contains this brief reference:
A Labor Government is committed to introducing legislation to protect commercial tenants. This will be known as the "Business Leases Review Act".
The Opposition's manner of enacting policy is a rather curious one. If only we had the idea that it was so easy to make party policy, I am sure that parties on this side of the chamber would probably do the same thing. But we all know it is not possible to do that. We all know that policy has to be thrashed out with our respective parties, and we all know - in particular, in respect of the Australian Labor Party - that it is supposed to be the party convention or council, or whatever it is called, that sits down and makes policy for the party.
Where is the evidence that it made this policy? Where is the evidence that this was the policy of the Labor Party as opposed to the policy of Mr Paul Whalan? There was obviously no effort to make sure that this little gem went into the party policy. It was a small oversight, I think, but a significant one. What about the party platform? I wonder what my friends opposite were spending last weekend doing, if they were not improving and modifying their party platform. That would have been a perfect opportunity to incorporate this important feature of party policy in their party document. However, they seem to have forgotten that.
Mr Kaine: It will be in the $10 edition that is coming out shortly.
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, it could be in the special $10 edition, the Chief Minister suggests, that is to come out. Mr Acting Speaker, it is very clear that this Government has produced, and is producing, action in this area. It is aware of the needs of those in the marketplace, perfect or not. It will see that action occurs in this area, which will be better for all tenants and landlords in the ACT. I think Opposition members should be applauding the Government's actions, not pretending like Johnny-come-latelys that they thought of it first.
MR MOORE (9.03): I think it is important to say, Mr Acting Speaker, that it seems to me that the expectations associated with this, in hoping that tenants and landlords can get together and sort out these problems in a nice friendly way, is akin to expecting that members on that side and this side of the house would be able to get together and sort out their economic differences in a nice relaxed and orderly fashion that would be suitable to us all.
I really feel that introducing legislation is the way to go, rather than having a code of practice. I thought I should add my little bit in that way. It is interesting
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