Page 5298 - Week 16 - Thursday, 28 November 1991

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MR STEVENSON: Clause 120 talks about intergovernmental arrangements. It says:

The Minister may make an arrangement with a Commonwealth Minister in relation to -

(a) the performance on a joint basis of any of the functions of the Commonwealth Commission;

(b) the performance by the Commissioner of any of the functions of the Commonwealth Commission; or

And it continues. It says - - -

Mr Connolly: We can read it. You do not need to read it out.

MR STEVENSON: All right.

Mr Connolly: What is your problem?

MR STEVENSON: The problem is: If we wish to allow our ACT discrimination commissioner the rights of the Commonwealth Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, then let us decide that that is what we want to do. But before we do that, before we say that we agree to the lot of them, perhaps we could follow the mildly important course of discovering what they are. In other words, before we agree to extra powers, extra functions, for the ACT commissioner, it is probably not unreasonable that we find out what they are, rather than just vote in these clauses that say, carte blanche, that we agree that our commissioner can have the functions of the Commonwealth commission.

That is the reason, Mr Speaker, I felt it important that the Liberal Party members, who are having a conference over there, listen in. You quite rightly made the point that I have a right to speak but not a right to be listened to. But it would be unfortunate if the Liberal Party did not listen in to the fact that if you pass this particular clause, above all others, you will allow functions for the ACT commissioner when you have no idea whatsoever what those functions are.

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