Page 3275 - Week 11 - Thursday, 12 September 1991
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We have also seen the unfounded opposition by Dr Kinloch to the Intoxicated Persons (Care and Detention) Bill. Remember that one? You were so concerned about drunks! Your hypocrisy, Dr Kinloch, continues to astound this side of the house. You promote extensive inquiries, pretending to solve alcohol related problems, while also voting to leave the intoxicated people vulnerable in the streets. Your inquiry will achieve nothing, except for making a lot of people fairly wealthy. As my colleague Mr Connolly said, it may well lead to a lawyer led recovery from the Territory's economic problems.
Mr Jensen: What, with one member? You need to appoint only one member. Read the Act.
MR BERRY: I see a motion here, Norm. You have not read it. It is from the Residents Rally, I understand. It says, "Appoint a Board of Inquiry". Is it a board of one?
Mr Jensen: That is correct. Read the Act, Mr Berry.
MR BERRY: You do not even know where you are going. You have jumped on the train and you have not even found out where it is off to yet. Your inquiry will achieve nothing. However, the responsible approach that this Government is taking goes a long way to preventing problems. This inquiry is a reactionary suggestion proposed by somebody who, it appears, is not fully aware of what positive steps this Government is taking to counter the social and economic costs of alcohol abuse. It is a costly suggestion that will achieve little. It should remain nothing more than a suggestion.
Ms Maher: Yes, and the community will thank us for it.
MR BERRY: Listen to all the cockies on the fence over here. Of course, we are taking economic steps to sort out the difficulties with alcohol. The Government is on the right track. We are promoting healthy messages through these positive programs, and we believe that money is more responsibly spent in this way. The people of Canberra also support this policy. They do not support grandstanding by the Residents Rally with Dennis Stevenson. They do not want to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into a jumbo inquiry into the effects of alcohol. Of course they will not support that.
If you had been watching what has been going on around the place, you would have noticed that last week I launched Alcohol Awareness Week. This is a positive program attempting to get to our young people on the uses of alcohol. We have some good role models who have agreed to be involved in this process. This is the way that you get to young people, not by punitive measures - and that seems to be what you people are suggesting.
Mr Jensen: Who said anything about punitive measures?
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