Page 1637 - Week 06 - Thursday, 13 August 1992
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Mr De Domenico: The point of order, Madam Speaker, is that I think Mr Lamont should withdraw the statement that Mr Westende "deliberately plays the man". He does not do that.
Mr Wood: You have to indicate that it is not parliamentary. Can you indicate that it is not parliamentary?
Mr De Domenico: I am prepared to listen to the Speaker, Mr Wood.
MADAM SPEAKER: The standing orders refer to unparliamentary language and to imputing improper motives. I do not believe that Mr Lamont intended to impute any improper motives in that statement. Please continue, Mr Lamont.
MR LAMONT: As I said, I refer you to page 3890 of Hansard. This followed the tabling of a ministerial paper by Mr Duby, a Minister in Mr Kaine's Alliance Government and a ministerial colleague of Mr Humphries. I quote:
As part of the process of preparing the policy statement, two episodes of public consultation occurred, including the publication of a draft policy in 1989. The consultation resulted in the receipt of over 1,000 pages of representations. An advisory body was consulted throughout the process. It represented the main organisations involved in animal welfare matters in the ACT, including the RSPCA, Animal Liberation, the Rural Lessees Association, research bodies, pet shops, vets and general members of the public. I thank the members of the animal welfare representative working group for their dedicated and constructive contribution to the development of the policy statement.
The policy statement sets out in detail what action the Government intends to take in relation to animal welfare issues in the ACT. The Government -
Mr Kaine's Government -
believes that this is a comprehensive statement of policy that will put the ACT at the forefront in Australia in this area. The most important action in the policy statement is that a new Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act will be prepared for the ACT.
What absolute hypocrisy it is, Madam Speaker, for the Opposition to suggest that this is an improper view.
Madam Speaker, I now go to the second great furphy put forward by Mr Westende when he addressed this matter. Twice this morning he has said, "Look at the great public ground swell. Look at Mark Giffard's phone-in yesterday morning; five to one, ten to one", or whatever the comment was. I am sorry; it was three or four to one. He did not actually name Mr Giffard, but I presume that that was what he was referring to. Madam Speaker, there were 13 calls yesterday in relation to this matter, 11 of those being from the ACT; seven were against and four were in favour. I certainly hope that you also take into account previous talkbacks where the order of people phoning in in support has been ten to one in favour of the action of the Government.
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