Page 1707 - Week 06 - Thursday, 13 August 1992
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more power than they already have. If you ask people in the community whether these matters should be debated and determined in the Assembly or whether they should be determined by a Minister, they will say that they should be determined by members in this Assembly, on their behalf, not by a Minister.
The words that I say presumably are an absolute bore to some members opposite. I am not supposed to get up here and say that the banning of primates, for example, should be determined by this Assembly, not by the Minister. Let me tell you why I think this particular clause has far more relevance than most. Mr Lamont would have some inkling of this because Mr Lamont, I am told - I did not hear it myself - has gone on television and said in the media and other places that he was not particularly concerned about Mr Moore's amendment in regard to those animals that would be banned. I refer to Mr Moore's amendment to do with primates. He was not particularly concerned about whether that was passed or not. If I am incorrect, obviously Mr Lamont has an opportunity to hop up and to say that he did not say that. I was told that it does not matter that we, the Assembly, will exclude primates from the ban because they will be covered by the Minister anyway.
Mr Lamont: You did mishear.
MR STEVENSON: It is not a matter of mishearing. I did not hear it myself. That is what I was told. If that is not the case, I ask the member to explain exactly what he did say about Mr Moore's amendment.
Mr Lamont: I do not have to explain anything to you.
MR STEVENSON: Mr Lamont is quite right; he does not have to explain to me about anything. However, it is an important point. Let me make a couple of important points. Because there is no definition of circuses, this does not only affect circuses coming to Canberra. It can affect circuses or organisations operating within Canberra. This very important question should be determined by the Assembly, not by the Minister. I think that would be agreed by the vast majority of people in this community.
Question put:
That the proposed new clause be inserted (Mr Lamont's amendment).
The Assembly voted -
AYES, 9 NOES, 8
Mr Berry Mrs Carnell
Mr Connolly Mr Cornwell
Ms Ellis Mr De Domenico
Ms Follett Mr Humphries
Mrs Grassby Mr Kaine
Mr Lamont Mr Stevenson
Ms McRae Ms Szuty
Mr Moore Mr Westende
Mr Wood
Question so resolved in the affirmative.
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