Page 2221 - Week 07 - Thursday, 6 June 1991
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consult with them and to follow their directives. I believe that citizens initiated referenda around the world have proven again and again that where a decision is made by the people in a community it is seen, in the majority of cases, to be a better decision on vital issues than a decision made by the politicians in various parliaments around the world. I support totally a voters' veto. I support the right of people to have a valid say. The voters' veto is democracy in action.
People do not want a say on every issue. We would not be having referendums every second weekend. It would not cost a fortune. All these statements are made by politicians who want to cling to power at all costs, basically at the cost of the community. I believe that the voters' veto will be introduced into Canberra sooner or later. Even if it is not introduced under self-government, it could be introduced under a local municipal council, which is what I now believe the majority of people in Canberra want. Eventually, when it is introduced, members of parliament will find that they are not looked upon by the community in the way that most people in this community look at every single member in this Assembly, bar none. I believe that they should take out the lot of us and abolish this Assembly.
What are the consequences of self-government remaining in Canberra? People believe that taxes and charges will increase. People believe that community services will be reduced. People believe that there will be greater deficit financing. In other words, if you cannot pay for Canberra, if you cannot pay for the community services and someone wants to maintain them, more and more money will be borrowed to do just that.
Mr Speaker, I think it is a sorry day for Canberra when we have people clutching for power in this Assembly. Indeed, on this day the Alliance will be no more. I am afraid that the replacement will be no better.
DR KINLOCH (5.20): I now address myself briefly to several issues related to the motion before us. That motion is:
That this Assembly has no confidence in the Chief Minister, Mr Kaine -
and then there are four significant words -
and his minority Government.
So, it is not only a no-confidence motion on the Chief Minister. First of all, I continue to regret for the umpteenth time that the Federal Government of the Commonwealth of Australia saddled us with this pocket-handkerchief version of an Australian version of the so-called Westminster system. It is absurd that in this tiny Assembly we should be divided into government and opposition. It is absurd that we are required to play out
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