Page 5086 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 27 November 1991
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It ignores our common law traditions. We are reacting to the whim of international socialist ideals, and legislating and regulating is not the way to proceed.
... ... ...
This Bill is merely for the purpose of social engineering, and its role is bizarre. We have only to look at how the Human Rights Commission has gone off the rails, and we have had plenty of examples during the day of what has happened to that body.
The real purpose of the Australian Bill of Rights Bill -
and this relates also to this and other Bills like it -
must be to promote and entrench values, ideologies and lifestyles that are unacceptable to the vast majority of Australians.
Indeed, I ask: Where is the call from the community for such legislation? Where is the call by people to bypass our common law rights to - - -
Mr Berry: Women and children - you would not want to protect them, would you?
MR STEVENSON: Mr Berry refers to women and children. Mr Berry says that I would not want to protect them. Yet Mr Berry, along with his Labor Party comrades, has repeatedly voted against one of the most useful actions we can take in this Assembly to protect women and children.
Mr Berry: What about relevance?
MR STEVENSON: The rights of women and children are important. It is interesting to note that, after Mr Berry talked about women and children and I replied to his interjection, he said to the Deputy Speaker, "What about relevance?". I think it is perfectly valid, if Mr Berry wants to make interjections, that I reply to them. So, let us do it one at a time. If you wish to make interjections, I am happy to pick up some of them. But when you talk about protecting women and children, and it is a vital part of any legislation that applies to them, why do you protect not women and children but pornography, Mr Berry? Why is it that the Labor Party protects pornography instead of women and children?
Ms Follett: On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Stevenson is straying badly from clause 3 of the Bill.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: He is talking about the objects of the Bill. Continue, Mr Stevenson.
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