Page 1492 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 11 August 1992
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MRS CARNELL (10.54): Speaking very briefly on Mr Westende's amendment, there is something that I think we have not really addressed in its entirety. I thought Ms Ellis brought up some very important points in this debate. The community has changed, and the community is changing. The comments about whales and our attitudes to the environment, to animals generally and to the way we relate to our environment are all very true. Circuses have also changed, and are changing. We really cannot look at circuses now as we did 20 years ago.
I think Mr Westende's amendment allows for that change to happen in an appropriate way. It gives circuses until the year 2000 to come to grips with the change that the community rightly is requiring of them, and that this Assembly should require of them. It is up to us, as responsible members of the legislature, to allow them to have that time to change. An immediate cut-off for animals that have been part of their lives for a long time is unacceptable. As Ms Ellis said, "Let us let that change happen, and happen in an appropriate way". Let us give a lead to that change, certainly; but let us not pre-empt it.
MR WESTENDE (10.56): Mr Deputy Speaker, first of all, I seek leave to table those letters that I mentioned earlier.
Leave granted.
MR WESTENDE: Thank you very much. Mr Deputy Speaker, Mr Lamont talked about the circus facade. Mr Lamont was talking about the owners of the circuses, and said that they were telling untruths. I think that was the word. I would suggest that the slander that Mr Lamont perpetrated earlier in the evening, if he was game enough to repeat it outside, would see the appropriate legal action. He has the protection of this house and no action can be taken by the circus owners. That, in itself, just shows the depths to - - -
Mr Berry: I raise a point of order. I think that to impute slander is to suggest an improper motive on the part of the member, and I would suggest that that ought to be withdrawn.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Westende, would you like to clarify the point?
MR WESTENDE: If it makes Mr Lamont and the other side happy, I withdraw the word "slander". However, I would like to include the word "untruths" about - - -
Mr Lamont: Mr Deputy Speaker, that also implies and imputes the same motive.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: I suggest to members that we have had a fairly detailed debate. Things have, I think, been kept on a quite reasonable keel and I would like to see this continue to the end of it. I think that Mr Westende has withdrawn the word and I would ask him to continue his comments.
MR WESTENDE: If it pleases the Chair, I would say that he has made some rather unfortunate allegations that may not stand up.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you.
MR WESTENDE: The question before the house now is whether this amendment, as proposed and circulated in my name, will be adopted, and I commend it to the house.
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