Page 4235 - Week 14 - Thursday, 24 October 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
I think it is appropriate to support Mr Collaery's motion to continue this debate in principle into November, when we can debate the matter again in the detail that is required and with an understanding of the Territory Plan and the concepts that are put forward by it. I take this opportunity to urge all members to reject that concept of a zoning system being part of our Territory Plan.
MR HUMPHRIES (11.18): Mr Speaker, I want to say something briefly on the motion of Mr Collaery's. I cannot hear what Mr Wood is whispering to me. I am not sure whether it is not possible to overcome the difficulties that have been put before us today, and I put that question to one side.
There is another question which we need to address in dealing with this today, and that is the general time that we set ourselves to deal with important legislation. This was introduced into the Assembly last Wednesday, as I recall. It is probably the most important piece of legislation to come before the Assembly this year, but we are being asked to debate it to the end of the in-principle stage today, eight days later.
Mr Wood: No, no; it is a month later. It was longer ago than that. It was a month ago.
Mrs Nolan: On 19 September it was introduced.
MR HUMPHRIES: I beg your pardon. I make the point, then, that the question is whether the introduction of legislation like this and then its passage to the end of the in-principle stage, when the Assembly agrees in principle, should be taken lightly. Do we pass a piece of legislation in principle, still having major concerns about the general direction that it takes? I am not sure that it is appropriate to get to that stage before we are sure that we know more or less where we are going and that we have only minor and technical matters to consider in the detail stage.
It may be that one takes a different view of what "in principle" means. My view is, as I said, that there ought to be general satisfaction with the whole direction of the thrust of the legislation. I am not sure that we can see that in today's debate. I think there are profound concerns about where we are going with it.
In those circumstances, I think it is safer for us to say that we will not pass it in the in-principle stage until we are satisfied that we can agree with the whole thrust of the legislation and then debate the minor kinks and get rid of them in the detail stage. That is the reason, Mr Speaker, that I would support Mr Collaery's motion today.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .