Page 5272 - Week 16 - Thursday, 28 November 1991

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Commission, or the equivalent body, does not allow lawyers, except with leave; just as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal does not allow lawyers, except with leave; just as the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, now the Industrial Relations Commission, keeps the lawyers out to try to keep it less formal.

I would say, though, that in practice, whenever there is an appropriate case for legal representation, it has been granted. In fact, as we speak, the Proudfoot matter is being dealt with in the Federal commission and all parties have been allowed to have legal representation if they so choose. So, the discretion is there. What Mr Stevenson is saying is nonsense. The bottom line is that he just does not like anti-discrimination legislation, and we heard why this morning.

MR STEVENSON (4.17): Clause 118, dealing with the secrecy provisions, talks about a penalty of $5,000 or imprisonment for six months, or both. I would have thought that where it says "imprisonment" it means imprisonment. Is that not the case? Cannot someone, under this Bill, go to gaol?

MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (4.17): Yes, when a court so orders, in proceedings in which you have a right to counsel.

Question put:

That the amendments (Mr Stevenson's) be agreed to.

The Assembly voted -

AYES, 1  NOES, 15 

Mr Stevenson Mr Berry
 Mr Collaery
 Mr Connolly
 Mr Duby
 Ms Follett
 Mrs Grassby
 Mr Humphries
 Mr Jensen
 Mr Kaine
 Dr Kinloch
 Ms Maher
 Mr Moore
 Mr Prowse
 Mr Stefaniak
 Mr Wood

Question so resolved in the negative.

Clause agreed to.

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