Page 3699 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 17 October 1990
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Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Is Dr Kinloch moving an amendment?
MR SPEAKER: Order! Please proceed, Dr Kinloch.
DR KINLOCH: I honour much that Mr Connolly said, but I want to note that of course we are all opposed to racism and racialism. It is just the nature of the term used in the original motion. If I had had a chance to talk to those who put that forward I would have suggested "non-racist".
On the question of paragraph (4), as I understand it, there is no method by which we can do that. It might be very useful if there were another motion at another time to refer to a committee the chance to set up this possibility of symbolic keys to the city. I understand that it does not exist. Indeed, we are the ones who are honoured. We are not honouring Mr Mandela when he comes here; we will be honoured by his presence, and we look forward to that very much.
On the question of paragraph (5), it would relate to problems, challenges and responsibilities of the department of immigration. I would go much, much further than paragraph (5). The suggestion is that that be a matter for further discussion.
It worries me that there are too many white South Africans coming into Australia without the appropriate and balanced number of black, coloured and other mix South Africans. It is not for us to make this decision, is it? It is for the Federal Parliament. But I would want us to be saying to it, "Look, there is a much bigger problem. There is this problem of expatriate white South Africans". Surely, for every white South African there should be four black South Africans, one coloured, et cetera, if one is trying to be fair.
On this question of violence, again I honour much that Mr Connolly said. I am very pleased that he has made a personal objection to violence and has urged the point that violence, from his point of view, should be the very last option. There would be many for whom violence would not be an option. I would like to refer to two white South Africans who are living in Canberra and who are members of the Society of Friends. For the Society of Friends violence is not an acceptable option. For these two white South Africans, who honour Nelson Mandela and who will be very pleased to see him here, I assure you that violence, whether from him or from anyone else, would not be regarded as a proper option.
Motion (by Mr Berry) agreed to:
That the question be divided and that separate questions be put on each paragraph and amendment.
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