Page 793 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 March 1991
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Mr Speaker, I would like to conclude by referring to a press release which Mr Stevenson put out on 14 February. It says:
The strongest gun laws do not prevent criminals obtaining guns. They will buy them on the black market, manufacture them, import them, steal them, or simply fail to register guns they already possess.
Mr Speaker, I believe that the same thing will happen with X-rated videos, which Mr Stevenson is desperately trying to ban. I find his attitude to the Weapons Bill and X-rated videos to be extremely contradictory, especially since he considers that everyone should have the right to bear arms. I find that despicable in our community. I think it would be totally unsafe.
MR MOORE (9.24): Mr Speaker, looking at this Weapons Bill, it seems to me that one member in particular has gone off half-cocked. I hope that people will not think that I am gunning for Mr Stevenson at all.
Mr Kaine: He has been waiting all day to say that.
MR MOORE: Exactly. When I rifled through this legislation - - -
Mr Duby: You will find it turns out to be a dud.
Mrs Grassby: No, a blank. He drew a blank.
MR MOORE: I see, Mr Speaker, that some people think I am going to be the butt of their jokes. I have not taken the automatic approach to this, as some have, nor have I lined up in my sights any of the members of the Government.
Mr Connolly: Will you be repeating?
MR MOORE: I hear an interjection about repeating from over here, but the reality is that I am not having a shot at anybody. When I am thinking about rounds being forced into a chamber, it is not this particular chamber.
Mr Speaker, I am delighted that the Weapons Bill has finally come to a form which, by and large, is acceptable. Although I have to discuss a little further with Mr Collaery some of the details on a couple of minor points, I am delighted to have the opportunity to support it. I think it is one of the more positive aspects to have come from the Alliance Government. It is a greatly improved Bill when compared with that originally introduced, I think just over a year ago now. The Weapons Bill obviously takes into account the excellent report of the National Committee on Violence, which I have referred to in this chamber on a number of other occasions. I was delighted to hear the points raised by Mr Connolly, some of which I had prepared to take on myself. He did it so eloquently that it would be pointless to raise them again.
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