Page 2530 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 7 August 1991
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MR STEVENSON (3.11), in reply: When the Liberal and Labor parties allow me to speak on the X-rated banning Bill in this Assembly I will name politicians who are associated with and connected to organised criminals involved in the X-rated video industry.
Mr Berry: I have a video machine.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, you called for order earlier.
MR STEVENSON: Last week I sought agreement from other members of this house to allow this matter to proceed. I specifically said that the reason it had importance was because of matters associated with organised crime. Twice in this Assembly I have tabled evidence regarding organised crime, from which two investigations originated, and a third investigation is being conducted into matters that I later mentioned.
I realise that there are certain procedures in this Assembly for allowing these matters to proceed, but the Labor and Liberal parties have always held the majority in this Assembly; they have always held nine or more seats, we should remember. The only way that I can get private members' business agreed to is by getting it voted upon in the Administration and Procedures Committee. The Liberal Party, and the Liberal Party alone, controls that committee because it has two members on it - the Speaker and Mrs Nolan. The other two members are Mrs Grassby and Mr Duby. Mrs Grassby will not get involved, so they have said, in what they call private members' business.
So, it then comes down to a 2:1 vote. The suggestion was that I could not convince the Liberal Party. I tried again and again. I spoke to Mrs Nolan again and again; I rang Mr Kaine and said, "This is a very important matter". If we are to close down organised crime involvement in this Territory and Australia we need to work on it. We also need to move as quickly as we can to do this.
Mr Humphries: Why?
MR STEVENSON: The evidence has already been presented in the Assembly. The suggestion that the evidence that I presented in the other two statements is old hat or invalid has been shown to be false. When I have a chance to speak I will indicate why that disinformation program has been put out.
Mr Moore: Mr Speaker, I also oppose this motion.
MR SPEAKER: I am sorry; Mr Stevenson has closed that debate, even though he did not speak earlier.
Question put:
That the motion (Mr Stevenson's) be agreed to.
A call of the Assembly having concluded -
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