Page 2457 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 1991
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They are quite happy to interfere with the privacy of what goes on in people's bedrooms and things to do with sexuality. This is their response to sex which, to me, is enjoyable, delightful, terrific and great; I really like it. And, to take the analogy just one step forward, it is also a source of revenue for the ACT - although, of course, not a very good source of revenue because the Alliance Government stuffed that one too. These people seem to be petrified by some type of sexual immorality, and I have never been quite able to work out why it is that people are frightened of sexuality.
But at the same time the very same people - and we see them sitting across from us on those Liberal benches - are here saying that, whilst we can take a moral stand about sex, which does not harm anybody, we ought not allow morality to interfere with international trading in arms, which kills and maims. I could go on with a whole series of emotive analogies. Because of the shortness of the time I have to speak, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker - I am not quite sure when this debate actually finishes - I think I should now take the opportunity to seek leave of the Assembly to move the motion that has now been circulated in my name.
Leave granted.
MR MOORE: Thank you, Assembly; I greatly appreciate it. In that case, I move:
That this Assembly endorses the principle that the ACT should not be used for promoting the international arms trade.
This also gives us the benefit, of course, of allowing anybody who has not spoken on this matter, and who wishes to add to the strength of the Assembly's feelings, to add their view. Of course, it will also allow members the opportunity to be counted as far as voting goes, so that the people of Canberra can see who are the supporters of the merchants and the moguls of death and destruction and who have the courage of their own morality to say, "Okay, we are going to miss out on some money, but money does not dictate absolutely everything and it ought not dictate absolutely everything".
A courageous decision has been taken by the Labor Government, and specifically by Terry Connolly, to direct the National Exhibition Centre no longer to hold these exhibitions. I think that, in taking into account financial circumstances, the Attorney-General has not made this a black and white issue; rather, he has taken a very sensible approach and has said, "Okay, we have had the contracts. We object to it; but we are going to allow the 1991 exhibition, sadly, to proceed. But, from then on, let the message go out to Australians that the ACT and the broad representatives of the ACT are not going to tolerate this sort of exhibition in the ACT. We recognise the
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