Page 4818 - Week 16 - Monday, 25 November 1991
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and when will the rest of the country introduce legislation along the lines of what we, the brave social pioneers here in the ACT, have done. No, we do not hear any response like that in terms of this matter.
It makes me wonder just what is the reason behind the Minister's apparent reluctance to introduce this social reform. Could it be that Mr Connolly is simply adopting a dog in the manger attitude; that, whilst it could well be a social reform, he, or the Labor Government in general, did not introduce it, and as a result he does not want to have the kudos for that reform to go anywhere else?
I do not regard this as Mr Collaery's Bill. I know for a fact that this Bill was being looked at and would have been introduced by the Alliance Government. The simple fact is - this is one of the few things on which I do agree with Mr Stevenson - that at the end of the day this will be an ACT Assembly Bill when passed in this Assembly. Whilst there will be some brownie points for the person who introduced it, we can all share in saying that a long overdue reform is now in place.
I notice that the two Bills contain, in clause 2, what is known as the Macklin provision. Mr Connolly says that the Government will accept the will of the Assembly to introduce the measures. It will be interesting to see whether he will show such a dog in the manger attitude as to do nothing and let the Bills automatically come into place after six months.
The arguments put up by the Government are, frankly, very spurious. This is an overdue reform. It is something which I would have imagined that the Labor Government opposite, who continually prattle on about social justice and social equity and the rights of the socially disadvantaged, would have grabbed with both arms instead of taking the attitude that they have adopted. I think they will find that, at the end of the day, they will be soundly berated by the other speakers in this Assembly. I, personally, am looking forward to the final vote to see just where they do stand on this important social issue.
MR STEFANIAK (3.38): The Liberal Party will be supporting Mr Collaery's two Bills. I think there is a fair amount of force in what members have said in relation to a national approach. Whilst I agree with Mr Connolly that it is desirable to have a fully national approach, I would agree with other members that often it is very difficult to get one in practice. I recall the number of meetings I have seen where it is difficult even to agree on some small points. There is a lot of force in introducing sensible legislation now. If need be, amendments can be made if and when there is a fully national approach.
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