Page 2550 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 8 August 1990
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inconvenience and additional costs for many parents. Their decision means the loss of business for neighbourhood shopping centres and the loss of services to the community. Finally, as the Council of Parents and Citizens pointed out yesterday, this decision means that their political future is non-existent.
Mr Collaery: I rise on a point of order, Mr Acting Speaker. I draw your attention to section 65 of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act and standing order 200 - - -
Mr Berry: Squirming a bit are we? You cannot debate the issue; you do not want to debate the issue.
Mr Collaery: Does the Opposition want to debate it?
MR ACTING SPEAKER: Are you proceeding with a point of order or not, Mr Collaery?
Mr Collaery: Yes, indeed, Mr Acting Speaker. Section 65 of the self-government Act clearly indicates that a Bill which has the effect of charging public funds shall not be proposed. Standing order 200 backs that up. We await your ruling in relation to two other Bills, Mr Acting Speaker. In view of the statements of those opposite me, in view of the clear desire on the other side, I ask you, Mr Acting Speaker, to take this point of order on notice, to give a determination in relation to that Bill at some future time and acknowledge that the Opposition wish the matter to be debated, and I defer to my leader on that point.
MR KAINE (Chief Minister) (10.44): If this were not a private member's Bill, I would move a matter of urgency in accordance with section 192. Because it is a private member's Bill I am unable to do so because I would be accused by the Opposition, I am sure, of interfering with private members' business.
Mr Moore: Absolutely.
MR KAINE: Absolutely, you got it right. It would be improper for me to move that it be dealt with as an urgency Bill, but the matter is clearly urgent. It took up most of question time yesterday. The Opposition put it forward yesterday as a matter of public importance. Another member of the Opposition has got it on the agenda today as a matter of public importance. There is great public interest in the question and, finally, I have a budget at an advanced stage and if this Bill were to pass it would materially affect that budget, so I need to know what the outcome is.
Accordingly, Mr Acting Speaker, I propose to the Leader of the Opposition that she agree to proceed with the debate now. We know from the debate yesterday that Opposition members have their case prepared. It is not a surprise to them. We know that there has been a great deal of public
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