Page 3723 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 9 December 1992
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In summary, the inaugural meeting of the Council of Australian Governments has demonstrated that, despite the changes that have occurred in the political complexion of State governments since 1990, all jurisdictions retain a commitment to working together in the national interest. If this were not the case, then Monday's meeting could not have got past the first agenda item. This bodes well for our nation and the ACT as a partner in the federal system. But we must temper optimism with realism. Change at the national level takes time, cooperative effort and, most of all, hard work, if we are to come to grips with the complexities of the issues that require national solutions.
Madam Speaker, for the information of members, I table the communique of the inaugural meeting of the Council of Australian Governments.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MADAM SPEAKER: I have received letters from Mrs Carnell, Mr Cornwell, Mr De Domenico, Mr Humphries, Mr Kaine and Mr Westende proposing matters of public importance to be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, I have determined that the matter proposed by Mr Humphries be submitted to the Assembly for discussion, namely:
The Government's failure to implement its legislative program.
MR HUMPHRIES (3.21): Madam Speaker, who here remembers the fanfare with which the Government launched its legislative program back in August of this year?
Mr Kaine: They do not.
MR HUMPHRIES: Obviously they do not, no. With much twirling of batons and sounding of trumpets, the Government told the Assembly what a wonderful legislative package it was going to bring down for us in the budget sitting of the Assembly and how much we would all benefit from the program of this active Government.
The Minister who introduced the program at that time, Mr Berry, said:
It is the Government's intention to introduce as many Bills in the first priority category as possible within the budget sittings.
That was a laudable aim, Mr Deputy Speaker. We are coming at this time to the end of the budget session of the Assembly for 1992. I hope that there are no more Bills - at least none which are likely to be passed by the Assembly in the course of this sitting - yet to be introduced. It is a reasonable time, it seems to me, to ask the question: Just how has this Government - this Government with all these wonderful plans - fared?
Mr Berry: Brilliantly.
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