Page 3061 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 November 1992
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aspect, that is, youth and alcohol, has already taken place. Mr Moore has explained that he wants to consult further on that issue, and we accept that there is a legitimacy to what he intends to do; but we believe that that can be completed and the report submitted without any difficulty by the end of March.
That being the case, we see no point in extending the terms of reference of the committee beyond that time. Its purpose will have been fulfilled. The three reports in connection with the three elements of the terms of reference will have been satisfied. The committee has no other responsibilities; so we do not see the need to extend it to the middle of the year, as Mr Moore is proposing. We do not believe that that approach is unreasonable. We believe that the job should be finished, it should be wound up, and the report should come to the Assembly for its consideration.
MR MOORE (4.32): Madam Speaker, I think I can speak to the amendment without closing the debate, can I not?
MADAM SPEAKER: Yes, you can.
MR MOORE: Madam Speaker, I appreciate that the Liberals are prepared to extend the time for the committee. The Select Committee on Drugs and its predecessor - the Select Committee on HIV, Illegal Drugs and Prostitution - have brought down a number of reports that have been of a very controversial nature. The reports have been detailed and members have taken great care in their preparation.
It seems to me that it is appropriate that, in dealing with an issue that affects our young people, we take equal care to ensure that we consult as broadly as possible and also to assess what is going on in other States. The method the committee proposes in this case is to attempt to conduct a meeting of drugs committees from other parliaments as part of this Assembly. That is the main reason we felt that it was appropriate for us to extend the date to the end of June. It could be a contribution to our Assembly as a whole for us to have a meeting that includes committees that deal with these issues in the rest of Australia. I have had approaches and discussions, mainly informally, with people in New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory, and I propose to do the same with South Australia before Christmas. There was a very receptive initial meeting on this issue.
I believe that such a meeting could contribute to our understanding of the issues involved. It would also be of benefit to this Assembly in that it would reinforce the fact that this Assembly has a role to play with other parliaments in Australia. I had had an opportunity to discuss that extra issue only briefly with Mr Kaine, and I was hoping that members would recognise it as being an important part of our role in ensuring that our report to this Assembly is broad-ranging and deals with the issue in the fullest possible way.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (4.35): Madam Speaker, I have had the opportunity to listen to this intense debate on an issue of some significance. The Government has had the opportunity to think about the proposal put forward by Mr Moore because we had some advance notice. I have to say, after listening to the Liberals, that their contribution was most unconvincing. The Government will be supporting Mr Moore's motion and, because of the absence of any weight in the argument put by Mr De Domenico for his amendment, we will decline to support that.
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