Page 3463 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 18 September 1991
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MR SPEAKER: I have in fact done that. The situation, as I see it, is that there may have been an unfortunate choice of verbiage in the letter from the Deputy Chief Minister to Mr Humphries. If that is, in fact, the case, I suggest that maybe Mr Berry might resolve the issue very quickly.
Mr Berry: Can I come back to that after the ministerial statement? I will have a look at the letters.
MR SPEAKER: No, that is not an appropriate action. Either we have a withdrawal or we have the motion.
Mr Humphries: It takes precedence under standing order 71.
Mr Berry: Could I have a look at the letters?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Berry.
MR BERRY (Deputy Chief Minister): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a short statement in relation to this matter.
Leave granted.
MR BERRY: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As members are aware, the Government has released the recent report on ACT trading hours. It intends to consult with the community on that score and we intend to take into account the views of the community. The reason we have done that, of course, is that there has been a change of government. The report was initiated by the former Government and it is only appropriate that Labor seek the community's views about the recommendations of that report.
Subsequent to Labor's decision to release the report, Mr Humphries placed before this Assembly a Bill which would cut across some of the issues that might be dealt with by way of consultation with the community in relation to that report. Of course, I, for one, have been critical of Mr Humphries for that pre-emptive action. I think this is an issue which requires close consultation with the community and I think it is important enough for the Government to be fairly firm on that matter. The Government should be able to take a firm position with anybody who would try to head off that process of consultation, because it is something that we are well known for and that we intend to pursue in relation to this matter.
Mr Speaker, you said that it might be unfortunate verbiage or an unfortunate interpretation of the verbiage. What I said to Mr Humphries was:
Accordingly it is required that the Bill be withdrawn until consultation with the community is complete.
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