Page 374 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 13 May 1992
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that the Territory was becoming a dumping ground for outdated food which it was unlawful to offer for sale in New South Wales but which could be offered for sale in the Territory. He said on 13 March last year:
We have been too long a dumping ground, too long an island without adequate protection ...
He also said:
We in government would be quick to work with the other States and Territories in establishing national standards for food legislation and use-by legislation. But it is not good enough for us to wait.
I can only say, "Hear hear!". I might point out, however, Madam Speaker, that working with other States and Territories to establish national standards is probably not necessary. We actually have those standards already worked out by the other States. Indeed, in 1980 the then Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, announced the establishment of national food standards and the development of those standards by cooperation between the States. Of course, every other State and Territory has already put those standards in place. The ACT remains the only place without them.
In government, we rejected the Bill that Mr Connolly put forward, on the basis that the advice given to me, as Minister at the time, was that comprehensive legislation in accordance with the national standards was well and truly on its way. I asked what "on its way" meant, and I was told that it would certainly be possible to present the legislation in the second half of the year, in the 1991 budget session of the Assembly. Between then and that budget session, the Alliance lost office. Labor came to power and, given Mr Connolly's fine words, we fully expected the new Government to carry out the Alliance plans and have the new comprehensive food legislation up and running by Christmas.
Of course, we waited in vain. Labor has now been in government for almost a year and still we have not seen the legislation. That is totally inexcusable. I do not know what has happened to this legislation. I was told that it would be ready by about August. In fact, I said to the draftspeople at the time, "Is it possible to have this available by August?". They said, "We think so". It may be that legitimate problems have been encountered.
Ms Follett: They were kidding you.
MR HUMPHRIES: It may be that we were being kidded, as the Chief Minister has suggested. I sincerely doubt that that is the case, given the fine upstanding integrity of our draftspeople. It may be that there has been some problem with the Government's own handling of the matter which has caused us to be without this legislation. I leave it to the Attorney to explain which of those things is responsible for the problem. Clearly, there has been some issue which has caused this legislation not to be available by now. I am certain that the Attorney was told when he took office that this legislation would be available quite soon, because I was told that when I left office.
I hope that the Government will produce its own legislation before we debate this Bill. I would be more than happy to throw this Bill out in favour of comprehensive legislation on the part of the Government. However, we have only one two-week sitting after this present two-week sitting. If it is not brought
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