Page 3423 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 19 September 1990
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Mr Wood: No, but to meditate on as you go to bed at night. How about that? That would be the time to do it.
MR HUMPHRIES: Well, that might be too late to be able to bear some of this, Mr Wood. Whatever time of day, I am not sure one would be much inclined to read it. I refer, for example, to paragraph (a) in the draft principles:
uphold constitutional government, the laws of the community and the principle of the role of the law;
It sounds a bit like "truth, justice and the American way". I really have the feeling that this has been drafted - - -
Mr Collaery: It sounds like Fred Nile.
MR HUMPHRIES: It does indeed. I think the imagery comes easily to the mind and I can see why people would make those sorts of connections.
It is not coincidental that that particular paragraph appears first on the list of draft principles that might be pursued by this process. The laws of the community are an interesting concept. Those opposite will be aware, of course, that we have had debate in this Assembly over recent days about particular laws of the community, including, for example, section 65 of the self-government Act. That is one particular law of the community, as those opposite would put it, that those opposite do not particularly wish to uphold; at least, that is what appears to me to be the case. If we look down to paragraph (d), we see another rather rich assertion. Members of the Assembly shall:
be dedicated to the highest ideals of honour and integrity in all public and personal relationships -
personal relationships -
in order to maintain the dignity of the office ...
Although one has some sympathy with the sentiment, the way in which it is expressed is absolutely extraordinary and projects an image of pious saintliness which, I think, is somewhat hard to - - -
Mr Collaery: Joan of Arc.
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, Joan of Arc-like, which is really somewhat hard to accept in the practical, working legislature.
Mr Wood: Well, that is the way we are.
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