Page 1774 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 18 August 1992
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MR LAMONT: If you had been before some of the commissioners I have been before, you would probably think that way, yes. Madam Speaker, there will need to be considerable education within the food industry in Canberra as to what the new standards will mean. For example, it will be an offence to sell minced meat containing sulphur dioxide as a preservative, and signs which display words like "Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice" must be for just that - orange juice squeezed in front of the customer.
The road to implement this legislation has been long; but I firmly believe that the passage of this Bill - the first of a series of four Bills - will greatly enhance the safety and quality of food in the ACT. Madam Commissioner, as has already been said, it has - - -
Mr Moore: Have you been drinking?
MR LAMONT: It was not even a glass of red wine, Madam Speaker. This has been a long time coming.
Mr Cornwell: You have been drinking some of that essence, haven't you?
MR LAMONT: I deny the allegation that there are one-litre vanilla essence bottles in my office. Madam Speaker, this legislation has been a long time coming. I believe that the Minister for Health should be congratulated for bringing it forward so early in the life of this Assembly.
Mr Humphries: What? Three years.
MR LAMONT: It would have been here six weeks ago if you people over there had not delayed all the circus stuff. We could have had that out of the road in the last sitting. Shame on you!
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (8.25), in reply: I thank the members of the Opposition who have indicated their support for this Bill. Unquestionably, the Bill has been a long time coming and it has taken a Labor government to get it onto the floor of this chamber. If there is any credit to be taken on this matter, the Labor team will take it. It has been an issue of high priority for Labor and that is why it is before the chamber now.
Mrs Carnell did mention that the second stage of the process has been given a third priority in the budget sittings of the Assembly. I do not think that is a legitimate criticism, because it is very clear from the early introduction of this Bill that the Government intends to get on with the job.
Mrs Carnell: That is what you said the first time you were in power, in 1989.
MR BERRY: This is a complex issue. Mrs Carnell interjects, "That is what was said some time ago". I remember her colleague Mr Humphries struggling with this matter, and he was not able to come up with the goods. Immediately on coming to office, the Labor team put its head down and got stuck into the job. Ms Follett signed the agreement with other States and we got on with the job; and here we are. We have delivered the matter into this Assembly. Everybody is grateful that we have done that, and we will take the credit.
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