Page 1214 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 March 1991
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that it is crazy. They can use it. As we proved with Mr Connolly's speech the other day, Mr Stevenson takes what people say out of context and uses it. This is what he would do on television. People outside do not realise what barrow Mr Stevenson is really pushing for all the nutters and the crazies.
Little parties such as the Residents Rally would not have a chance because there is no way they would be able to raise that sort of money. The Labor Party could raise it. We have raised it in the past and we would be able to raise it again. I think this is a very democratic way to go, and I cannot understand why the Liberals are screaming about it. I think it is because they do not want all these little parties around. This would give the little parties a chance to have a say and maybe vote against the Liberals, who stand for big business and crushing the little people in this city and in every other part of Australia.
DR KINLOCH (5.10): Mr Deputy Speaker, the views that follow do not arise from an already determined party or caucus position, I want to stress. In the Rally there will, I am sure, be a range of views and we will be debating them in due course.
Mrs Grassby: Shame on you if you are supporting this, Dr Kinloch.
DR KINLOCH: There is certainly no standard position by the Alliance Government on this side of the house. I hope that Mrs Grassby will support what I am about to say. I thank Mr Stevenson for raising this subject. I think the supporters of freedom of speech come from all quarters of the Assembly. I do not mind who raises it, and I thank him for it.
First of all, I wish to condemn the Federal Labor Government's decision in this matter, for this reason: There was, to my knowledge, no consultation with State and Territorial governments over a matter which obviously concerns them in their own elections. In our own self-government Act there is a section which deals with this matter. It is yet one more example of the way in which the Federal Government treats us - either with indifference or with contempt.
It was the Federal Labor Government which initiated the form of government we now have. Were the people of Canberra ever consulted about that form of government or whether they wanted that form of government? It was the Federal Labor Government which initiated the d'Hondt system, which in a modified form was eventually placed around our necks, and it is still around our necks. Now we have the Federal Labor Government telling us about the ways in which political campaigning may be conducted. At the very least, we should be consulted.
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