Page 4817 - Week 16 - Monday, 25 November 1991
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If this law is going to be passed by the Assembly, if you want to have your day and pass this law, you are creating a confused hotchpotch of rights and obligations in this area; but I can assure the Assembly that the Labor Government, re-elected by an increasingly large majority at the next election, the way you people are carrying on, will give effect to this important document, will give effect to the considered and well-researched views of the Australian community on access to interpreters in the Australian legal system, and will not rely on this knee-jerk stunt.
Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I suspect that it is the will of the Assembly that it pass this and the Government, of course, will implement the law as passed by the Assembly. But if you really were serious about this issue, if you really wanted to progress the cause of access to justice, and access to interpreters, you would be supporting the moves around this country to give effect to this well-researched document supported by the communities, rather than this stunt.
MR DUBY (3.34): Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Minister who has just spoken is already well known around the city as the "Minister for Silly Walks"; he now certainly is the "Minister for Silly Talks" because what we just heard was an load of absolute waffle. He did not address in any way the issue that is the root cause of these Bills being presented. The simple fact is that members of our community are currently disadvantaged because of their failure to comprehend and adequately communicate in English, and these Bills address that issue here in the Territory.
The simple fact is that that matter has been identified nationally, as the Minister so ineloquently pointed out, by the report that he referred to. Nationally, there is going to be a movement to allow for recognition of the fact that Australia is a multicultural society. But there is no reason whatsoever for the Minister to wait for the rest of the States to get in step with the ACT. Here we have a prime example of a social reform which we can initiate very simply.
I am amazed that the Labor Government opposite does not wish to join with the other members of this Assembly in introducing this reform. If it turns out that there are some measures in these two Bills which are inadequate or at odds with the agreed final position to be adopted by all the States and the Commonwealth, any future government can introduce an amendment. That is the simple truth of it.
If we were to follow Mr Connolly's arguments it would mean that this Assembly would never have introduced legislation concerning, for example, the control of firearms. He is proud to shout from the rooftops that the gun control legislation in this Territory is the model for Australia
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