Page 4491 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 19 November 1991
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To be honest with you, I think all sides in this argument are barking up the wrong tree. I personally agree with the name of the legislation as it exists in New South Wales, the Anti-Discrimination Act, because that is what this Bill is about. The simple fact remains that, if you talk to people in the street, you will find that they do not really know what a human rights Bill, a human rights and equal opportunity Bill or an equal opportunity Bill - or, for that matter, a discrimination Bill - would achieve. But they would know what an anti-discrimination Bill aimed to achieve. I am disappointed that I clearly do not have the support of fellow members of the Assembly to call it the Anti-Discrimination Bill.
Nevertheless, I believe that this is a matter of some importance for people on various sides. I certainly do not support the title "Human Rights". I think equal opportunity is, in effect, what the word "anti-discrimination" means in plain English. However, if we call it the Discrimination Bill, we are going to wind up with a discrimination commissioner, I would imagine. I would suggest as a further compromise - I am in a mood for it tonight - that we call it the Discrimination Bill, and call the officer appointed under the legislation the equal opportunity commissioner.
Mr Kaine: We could call him the anti-discrimination commissioner.
MR DUBY: All in all, I think we have between us about 17 combinations of various names and titles. As I said, to me, it does not matter all that much what the Bill is called, as long as the Bill is introduced and starts affecting the lives of the citizens in this Territory.
Question put:
That the amendment (Mr Connolly's) be agreed to.
The Assembly having voted -
MR SPEAKER: I raise a technicality. Dr Kinloch has left the chamber, but I am not sure whether he did that after the call was commenced. I am trying to establish whether there has been a breach of standing orders. Under the circumstances, with him not being in the chamber, I cannot address him; so, I cannot ask him when he actually left.
Dr Kinloch: May I make it very clear that I was engaged in an act of discrimination. The word "discrimination" means making a judgment between A and B; you discriminate. We are involved in a word game here, and I think it is very sad that we are doing this. I would like us to adjourn.
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