Page 2827 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 1991
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Dr Kinloch, in his remarks last night in moving the amendment, made reference to the need to ensure that there was an acknowledgment of the codes inherent in the NHMRC report. I have to say that I do not think the codes are quite good enough for us to work on. If they believe that there should be a reduction, they should say so, and they would say so, I am convinced. On the face of their words we, as a legislature, should leave fluoride at the present level and not change it. Those are the words I am going to rely upon, not the codes that Dr Kinloch or others happen to read within those words of the report.
Finally, Mr Deputy Speaker, there has been some debate about what the policy of the Liberal Party with respect to fluoride actually is. Comments have been made, both last night and in the paper today, suggesting that there is some loophole in Liberal Party policy. For the record, may I table some documents to indicate what the situation is? I seek leave, Mr Deputy Speaker, to table three documents.
Leave granted.
MR HUMPHRIES: The first document is a page from the constitution of the ACT division of the Liberal Party. I particularly draw members' attention to clause 59(1), which says:
The policy of the Division shall only be formulated at a Policy Convention.
I also table a document which is the result of deliberations at the last policy convention of the Liberal Party. I quote the first sentence under the heading "Fluoridation":
We support the continued fluoridation of ACT water supplies at levels recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
I also table a letter from Mr Lyle Dunne, the policy convenor of the ACT division of the Liberal Party, who indicates in this letter very clearly that the amendment that I have just referred to was carried at the last policy convention and that the policy committee has no claim or authority to alter the wording of the policy passed at convention. That indicates fairly clearly, I think, that the policy of the Liberal Party is as determined by the convention, and only by the convention.
Mr Wood: And, of course, you bind all your representatives, too, don't you?
MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed. That is very true. Representatives of the party are bound to follow that policy in the Assembly.
Mr Duby: Either that or they will not get preselected.
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