Page 5103 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 27 November 1991
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assassinating people or murdering them, terminates them with extreme prejudice. Such is the sort of doublespeak that we get, particularly in bureaucracies. He went on to say:
This means that, under the legislation now before the House, any citizen can be dragged before a human rights commission of this Government's choosing and be compelled to answer questions under oath, produce documents and provide written information under signature - all without the benefit of legal counsel ...
For what? For any of the offences that are listed in clause 7. Mr Everingham continued:
But it gets stranger. The human rights commissioners who will exercise these incredible powers over the people of Australia will not necessarily be learned men and women of experience in jurisprudence.
Ms Follett: I take a point of order. Mr Speaker, could I point out to you that clause 7 is quite specific? It relates to the attributes of people who claim to be discriminated against. They are spelt out there in detail and they really have not been the subject of Mr Stevenson's remarks for quite some time.
MR SPEAKER: I must say that I have been a little lost in following your argument, Mr Stevenson. I ask you to draw it closer to the mark.
MR STEVENSON: We are asked to make all these things offences.
Ms Follett: No, they are not. You have the wrong clause.
MR STEVENSON: We are on clause 7, right?
Ms Follett: Yes.
MR STEVENSON: If you discriminate against any of these things, you commit an offence.
Ms Follett: No, that is not what it says.
MR STEVENSON: That is what we are talking about in the present. Mr Everingham continued on what the ideology behind this type of attribute is. He said:
Rather, they will probably be doctrinaire socialists applying theoretical human rights by claiming a sole right of knowledge of what is best for all of us.
Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, I take a point of order. This is a bit off the track.
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