Page 404 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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MR STEVENSON: Thank you. Has there been a situation when we have had the unanimous support of 17 members on anything before? What a marvellous situation. When it gets a little bit closer to the time of holding the referendum, of course, there will be suggestions that as we are holding the referendum what a wonderful opportunity it is to include a couple of other questions, and those couple of questions will solve a lot of problems for the Alliance.
Mr Humphries: What could they be, Dennis? Tell us.
MR STEVENSON: Well, I think we would have to make one fluoride; and another, the casino. This is not necessarily the order I would naturally pick; but I thought that, under the circumstances, perhaps X-rated videos would also go in.
Mr Kaine: You might get an awful surprise on all three counts, Dennis.
MR STEVENSON: I would never get a surprise. Apart from the fact that I have surveyed them and I know what the majority of people in Canberra want - - -
Mr Kaine: I bet you do not.
MR STEVENSON: Once again, I am prepared to put money on it if you are prepared to bet, as you say you are. The other thing that I would certainly - - -
Mr Moore: That is gambling.
MR STEVENSON: I do not believe that it is gambling; I try not to gamble.
Mr Jensen: You are betting on a sure thing, Dennis.
MR STEVENSON: I think it is a sure thing. The other item that I would include at any referendum that is held - let us hope that it is held before the next election; otherwise it would certainly need to go in then - is this: Do the people of Canberra want the right to call a referendum? That is the voters' veto. In light of what happened tonight, the feeling of affinity amongst members and the very little aggro that was put out, I think that we could do that. Joking aside, what a marvellous situation that would be in Australia. If we hurry we will be the first. If we wait around too long the Tasmanian Liberal Party and Neil Robson will have it in there - his electors' veto. The Democrats have been pushing it for a long time; they might sneak it in somewhere around Australia before us. With other elections coming up around the place we might not have the opportunity to carry the flag for all of Australia by introducing something that is absolutely inevitable - that the people have the right of voters' veto. I do not include the initiative and I do not include the recall, but the right to say no when we, unknowingly, perfectly justifiably, get it wrong.
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