Page 4744 - Week 15 - Thursday, 21 November 1991
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Labor there. They are prepared to look after the people who can access the courts; but the party of the people, as they would have us believe they are, is not prepared to broaden appeal procedures for ordinary people.
It is a great inconsistency and reflects where the Labor Party has gone. It surprises me that the Labor Party in the ACT should go the same way as the Federal Labor Party - further and further to the Right, taking over the Liberals' home ground. As we saw earlier today, the Liberals are now forced to take a more and more conservative stance, with that incredibly conservative tax package they have said they are going to inflict upon the people of Australia, but with most impact, I presume, on the people of Canberra.
With reference specifically to this Bill, and leaving aside the inconsistencies tonight in the stance of the Labor Party and their failure to hold to a set of principles, I think this is a very positive move, and I congratulate the Attorney-General for bringing it forward. Perhaps he will have the sense to convince his colleague the Minister for Planning that he should be making other decisions accessible to ordinary people when we have the opportunity to review what we have done tonight with reference to appeals under the planning Act.
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (10.13), in reply: I am pleased that members generally are supportive of this package. This Bill is consequential, in a sense, on the planning package. It is the view of the Government that we will take the in-principle debate on this Bill and then accept an adjournment of the detail stage so that we can wrap it up later. I think all that needs to be said has been said. It is a provision which expands appeal rights. It is a sensible addition to the planning package now before the chamber. I commend the Bill to the house, certainly at its in-principle stage, and we can adjourn the detail stage.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail Stage
Clause 1
Debate (on motion by Mrs Nolan) adjourned.
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