Page 2469 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 1991
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and Mr Gorbachev actively involved in discussions to reduce arms. We have recently seen, from the Australian point of view, our own forces sent to the Middle East in an effort to restore world peace to an area of the world that was at war. Those people have all, obviously, taken the opportunity to do something towards world peace in accordance with their policies and their duty as they saw it.
I see the step that we are taking here in the ACT as a very small part of such a movement. We are saying as a community that we do not wish to promote arms, or the trade in arms, and we do not wish to see our national capital, and our own home city, used in that way. I think it is very pleasing to see that there has been such support across the parties in the Assembly and that, in effect, it seems that this parliament will be giving its endorsement to an action taken by the Government. I would like to think that, had there been a different government, perhaps this same debate would still have occurred. So, I thank Mr Moore for putting up the motion, and I very much thank all of those members in the Assembly who have indicated that they will be supporting it.
MR MOORE (9.38): Mr Speaker, I indicated to Mr Collaery that I would clarify the content of the motion, and I believe that other members have done so in the way they have spoken to it. We are talking simply about the international arms trade - the trade and the trading, as represented by Aidex. We are not talking about the other possibilities that Mr Collaery raised. That is the content and the meaning of the motion; that is the way it has been discussed tonight. I believe that that is the spirit in which it has been raised.
I believe that the spirit of the Assembly tonight will start a ball rolling that will give an indication to other people that they too can begin to do something about this obnoxious international trade in arms. It is only a very small step, but it is an important step that will be taken in this Assembly tonight.
Amendment negatived.
Original question resolved in the affirmative.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND TEMPORARY ORDERS
Motion (by Mr Wood) agreed to:
That, in relation to the proceedings on the Interim Planning (Amendment) Bill 1991, so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent the presentation of the Bill and the consideration of the Bill, at all stages, from proceeding forthwith.
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