Page 3952 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 16 December 1992
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If they feel that they have not received satisfaction - if it is a matter where the will of the people is not being expressed, if it is a matter where the law is not being upheld, if it is a matter which creates unnecessary and unwarranted consequences that may not have been foreseen by members of this Assembly - they should have the time to inform the general public in Canberra that there are things happening that the public may not know about and may want to know about.
I know that it has been suggested often that the reason some legislation is rammed through this and other parliaments is to prevent this very thing happening. Let us not leave ourselves open to this accusation. Let us ensure that the standing orders in this parliament create democracy for the people of the ACT, in that they have sufficient time to consider legislation. I do not say ample time, because the time allowed, of two months, is not ample. I would like to see it longer. Nevertheless, it would be sufficient time, with most proposed laws, for people in this community to find out what is going on and to do something about it. That is what democracy is about - not the sort of democracy they have in the Soviet Union, where they say that you can vote in democratic elections.
Mr Connolly: There is no such place, Dennis.
MR STEVENSON: I know that the name has been changed; but many of the workings have not, although I would be happy to talk about that at some other time. In the Soviet Union they say that you can vote in democratic elections. Someone asks, "Well, for whom?", and they reply, "For a member of the Communist Party, a single party".
When the Chief Minister and other members of this Assembly talk about consultation, let us show that we mean it by allowing citizens in this community the time to find out about legislation and to take action if they so choose. Let us allow in this Assembly the time for members to read and understand the laws, to have the opportunity to have briefings that the Ministers usually readily make available. Quite often, I must admit, after a briefing you realise that you need another one. So, let us make sure that there is time for that. Mr Connolly smiles. Perhaps I should explain why I think that quite often you need another briefing. You find that the advice you are given does not necessarily conform to the explanatory memorandum, and you say, "If it does not conform to what the tabling information says, perhaps it needs more explanation". The person giving the information may not agree with the explanatory memorandum - and I have had instances of this - and may want to have time to go back to the Minister and clear up exactly what is going on.
Madam Speaker, we understand that members of this house do not always have the time to spend on Bills that we would like. It is an appalling situation when members of this Assembly vote - one could say have to vote, but no-one ever has to vote for a Bill - for a proposed law that may affect the livelihoods of many people in Canberra, without first reading it. In the current situation, it is almost inevitable that that happens. But is it fair? Is it democratic? Is this the sort of situation we believe should be extant in Canberra?
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