Page 2812 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 1991
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DR KINLOCH: Indeed it is, and I would be happy to discuss it. My X-rated videos stand is essentially to do with the ACT not violating the laws of the six States. As Mr Collaery knows very, very well, that is the main point of my argument there. I repeat what I said in March: One solution to this - and we should approach especially the monopolistic press on this matter, especially in cities where there is only one effective newspaper - is that, in return for the very fact that they exist, there should be a quota, a quotient or a part of their air time or print coverage which is given - not free; "free" is the wrong word - to public political advertising in proper ratios, and that may be hard to determine.
I am only repeating what has been said earlier. This is surely one of the most effective ways to go. You do not want to encourage political advertising that depends only on the large sums that some political parties can amass. You want to give every chance to small parties, minority groups and people who do not have access to great funds. That is very necessary, and surely that can be legislated for at the Federal level.
MR DUBY (3.59): I will not say that I was not going to talk. I must admit that I was tempted from the start to have a few words on this. May I say at the outset that this is a nonsense debate. On 21 March this matter was dealt with in the Assembly in very similar words, again on a discussion of a matter of public importance that was raised by Mr Stevenson. I thought that the matter was dealt with effectively then. Let us be perfectly honest.
Mr Stevenson: Why did the Federal Government continue with its proposals?
MR DUBY: Because the Federal Government does not have to listen to what we say in this Assembly at all. That is the bottom line. Firstly, as I said, let us go back and show just how illogical this debate can be. I would like to propose a question to the member who raised this matter of public importance: What would happen if we went out and took a poll of the people in the Territory, asking whether they wanted to sit through political ads at election time? I wonder what the answer would be. I have a funny feeling that, if I went out and polled 68 people, something like 57 of them would say, "No, I do not want to see any political ads". And I have a funny feeling that, if Mr Stevenson went out and asked the question in the same way, he would get much the same answer.
Mr Stevenson: It is a bit of a biased question. That is not the right question to ask, and you know it.
MR DUBY: Of course not; particularly when you have already worked out the answer that you want to get. I must point that out; I must quote that - "That is not the right question to ask". Next time you mention political polls
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