Page 3179 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 12 September 1990
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The Government has been very slow. The Opposition's legislation list is fast catching up with it, and this is despite moves by the Government to prevent the Opposition from having access to drafting services. The Government has claimed, as has been the case, that anything that it has indicated its intention to legislate for means that the Opposition cannot also have the resources necessary to draft legislation. Well, we have got around that. We are able to deal with some of that ourselves, and we will continue to provide legislation for consideration by this Assembly, despite the fact that the Government is not able to provide legislation of substance.
Over and over again, there is a cry for legislation on important issues, and I think one of the most important ones which has been overlooked in recent times, and has been blocked by the Government, has been the subject of tobacco consumption. In the middle of December last year we moved to have legislation drafted so that we could get that legislation in front of the Assembly. The matter could then be properly debated and would become law in the Territory so that, as time went by, there would be less tobacco related illness in the community, and fewer people in our hospitals as a result. It does not seem that the Government is too interested in this, because all that has happened is that there has been a lot of shilly-shallying about introducing tobacco legislation. Here we are, well down the track, and there is still no sign of the legislation, although it has been foreshadowed.
I cannot for the life of me sit back in good conscience and say nothing about a government which has so dismally failed to perform in the area of the production of substantial legislation as this Government has. This is irrespective of the criticisms that the Opposition and the community generally would have of the Government because of its bad behaviour, its poor performance as a government, and the atrocities that have been committed on the community in respect of its services.
Mr Speaker, in this adjournment debate I think the Government should take on notice that the Opposition is very concerned about the future of legislation in this Territory. If the Attorney-General can get over his fit of petulance and table a copy of the legislation list in the Assembly, then we can all have a look at it and make further judgments about what the Government intends to do in respect of legislation. If the petulant Attorney-General takes the time to give notice of ministerial statements, in accordance with the agreement that has now been reached, I am sure that the matter would be tabled. Mr Speaker, I call on the Attorney-General to dump the petulance and get on with the job.
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