Page 4968 - Week 17 - Tuesday, 11 December 1990
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that the Labor Party did the same thing when they had the opportunity. That is also correct. It should not be a difficult thing to allow a minimum of one month for the passage of any Bill. It would be a far better thing. There can be only two reasons for Bills being brought on in such a hurry and they both have to do with planning - either good planning, if the intention is to not allow people the time to fully understand and consult on the Bills; or bad planning, if it is a matter of just not being organised to do the job correctly.
This matter has been brought up in this Assembly that so that something could well have been done about it. Perhaps a new year resolution, by all relevant people in this Assembly, could be that in 1991 Bills are to be allowed sufficient time to go through the many stages that should be necessary in a community when new laws are being brought in. That is indeed what we are talking about. We are talking about laws that affect the lives of people who live in Canberra. Their representatives should have the opportunity to talk with them about it. In this case, it is a sad situation that that time has not been allowed.
MR KAINE (Chief Minister) (8.22), in reply: In closing the debate in principle, there are a few things I would like to say and some in refutation of what the Leader of the Opposition and "Big Ears" said on the other side of the house.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Kaine, please do not start that.
MR KAINE: I thought it was a common appellation; but if it is offensive, I withdraw it, Mr Speaker.
Ms Follett: On the other hand, we could always call the Chief Minister "Mr Grumpy".
MR KAINE: You will not faze me in the slightest.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Please proceed.
MR KAINE: This Bill provides for the restructuring and reform of the Territory's major business activities. Together with the other Bills relating to the restructuring of the ACTEW board and the establishment of the TAB as a Territory owned corporation, this is a major step in progressing micro-economic reform in the Territory. This, I might add, is consistent with what the Commonwealth Treasurer and the Commonwealth Prime Minister are advocating. I do well understand it, but I hear some mumbling from the other side from people who simply do not or will not understand. Perhaps it is the latter.
Although the Commonwealth has presented us with a difficult budgetary situation, it has been cooperative in passing a regulation under the ACT (Self-Government) Act 1988 to place beyond doubt the Assembly's power to legislate in respect of Territory owned companies. However, the
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