Page 2266 - Week 08 - Friday, 21 June 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
the legislation and should not be given a say in what happens to them. The Democrats have fought strongly. There are many things I do not necessarily agree with from the Democrat party; however, I have to commend them for fighting long and hard to introduce the right of citizens to actually have a say in how they are governed through citizens referenda. The National Party took it on board federally. Is there anybody left?
Let me tell you; the Independent movements sweeping this nation again and again have as a major policy the introduction of citizens initiated referenda to a country where we no longer have a democracy. We have a tyranny between two parties who feel that they are born to rule. Regardless of what happens in this Assembly, regardless of the fact that they have less than 38 per cent of the principal vote between them, they are determined to maintain control of the Assembly. They are determined to maintain control of the Assembly through the use of such things as a Leader of the Opposition, pretending that there are only two groups and that there should be only two groups.
I commend Mr Duby for being prepared to stand as he has and give the money back to the people of the ACT - make no mistake - for his Leader of the Opposition position. He will give it back and I commend him for it. Also, he is perfectly happy to operate out of the offices he already has. He does not want larger offices as the Leader of the Opposition. It is something that is not before time; it is one of the best decisions made in this Assembly. I commend the people who did it.
MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement.
Leave granted.
MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, unfortunately this again just shows what a farce at times this first Assembly has become. There might be some merit in this if in fact this Assembly were a council.
Mr Stevenson: It will not be long.
MR STEFANIAK: Dennis, I appreciate that probably most people in the community would prefer a council; but for obvious reasons, which we have gone into ad infinitum, the Federal Government has not given us a council because it does not want to spend on the ACT the money it used to. I cannot realistically see how we could go back to a pure council form of government.
I am not going to go into questions of Mr Duby's competence or otherwise. I, too, served as a member of a government with Mr Duby and have a high regard for his competence.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .