Page 3621 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 8 December 1992
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Mr De Domenico: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: I have asked the Attorney to withdraw.
Mr Connolly: I withdraw that it was a lie. I offered a briefing to Mrs Carnell. It was not taken up.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Connolly.
MRS CARNELL: I was referring to a briefing, as I just said, that Mr Connolly indicated that he would give before the Bill was tabled. Unfortunately, he elected to introduce the Bill and then to give the Assembly only one week to examine it. Yes, he did offer a briefing on the last day of the last sitting, all of one week ago, after the legislation was tabled; a briefing that, unfortunately, due to commitments of committees and other things - I am sure every member of this Assembly has been flat to the boards in the last week - we have not had an opportunity to take up.
The draft Adoption Bill was originally released in February, I think, or possibly March 1992, which is some 10 months ago.
Mr Connolly: You do not know. That shows your interest in this matter.
MRS CARNELL: The Minister has certainly had a very long time to settle questions in his own mind and to his own satisfaction, and I will make a comment about February 1992. The draft legislation that I have has that date at the top. Equally, from spending a lot of time looking at newspaper articles and so on, there is some indication that it could have been March. That is the reason why there are two different dates, but my copy certainly has "February" at the top.
The Minister seems to believe that other members of this Assembly deserve only one week, after he and his party have had 10 months to look at this legislation. I might add that we had been in contact with Mr Connolly's office to see whether we could get a copy of the final legislation prior to its introduction. Again, that legislation was not forthcoming. We have made our best efforts to assist in getting good consensus on this legislation. If that consensus had been achieved prior to the legislation being tabled, this Bill could have been passed quickly. The problem is definitely with the people on the fifth floor.
Mr Connolly: So, are we going too fast or too slow? What is the problem? You wanted it more quickly?
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, please! Mrs Carnell has the floor.
Mr Connolly: Madam Speaker, I apologise; but sometimes I do get provoked.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Connolly. Let us have a bit of order, please.
MRS CARNELL: To be fair, views being expressed by us and other non-executive members of our staff on various provisions of this adoption legislation have been incorporated in the final draft that Mr Connolly - - -
Mr Connolly: Yes.
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