Page 3901 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 15 December 1992
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Madam Speaker, what we have to take into account is that fighting is an abnormal operation. It is an abnormal thing to be doing. I think that is the message that we have to get across to members of our community, and to this extent I agree wholeheartedly with Gary Humphries and the Minister in introducing this legislation. This concept of fighting to resolve problems, or fighting for the sake of it, is certainly an unacceptable part of the way we conduct our society. In my 40-plus years I have never had occasion, since I left primary school, to be involved in a fight. I have never found a particular reason to be involved. It would seem to me that for most people - - -
Mr Connolly: Even in Residents Rally days?
MR MOORE: Mr Connolly interjects with an extreme example. Even under those circumstances, Madam Speaker, there was absolutely no need for violence. It was far better simply to walk out or to walk away. I think that is the solution on many occasions. Our young people should be getting the message that fighting is simply an unacceptable way of behaving. That is one of the reasons why I am prepared to support this Bill. The other reason why I am prepared to support this Bill is that, by and large, our police force represents us very well and it has a very positive role to play in the Canberra community. The Canberra community recognises that. Like Mr Connolly and other members of the Assembly, having been fortunate enough to go out with the police and see how they conduct themselves on an evening in Civic encourages me as to the approach that they are taking and their ability to deal with this.
The question that I raise and that I hope Mr Connolly will be prepared to answer this evening is, "What about when somebody is genuinely forced into a situation of self-defence?". Maybe it is because I can run faster than some people that I have not been forced into that situation myself. Speaking seriously, I think most of us avoid fighting, but I can imagine a circumstance where somebody is forced to defend himself. Under those circumstances I think being charged with fighting would be inappropriate. We can imagine the situation, Madam Speaker, where a police officer comes around a corner and there are two people fighting. One person has been threatened with an iron bar and the other person decides, since he has nowhere to go and is in a corner, that he is going to defend himself. One can imagine the sort of circumstances.
Mr Lamont: Do not go drinking with Wilson Tuckey.
MR MOORE: I hear an interjection from Mr Lamont, "Do not go drinking with Wilson Tuckey". I assure Mr Lamont - - -
Mr Cornwell: I take a point of order. I suggest that Mr Lamont might withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Mr Connolly: He was convicted of belting somebody with an iron bar.
Mr Cornwell: I think it is an unreasonable statement against a member of the Federal Parliament.
Mr Lamont: I would withdraw, were it not for the fact that an offence does stand in the books in relation to "Iron bar". It is a name by which he is quite often referred to, even by his own colleagues in Federal Parliament, Madam Speaker.
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