Page 1251 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 11 May 1993
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which encourage other people to be involved in it and the exploitation of young people who get themselves involved in it. If you really want to support that sort of thing you wear the consequences of it. It is not going to be on my conscience. We are going to win this 9-8. We are going to win it out there.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail Stage
Clauses 1 and 2, by leave, taken together, and agreed to.
Clause 3
MS SZUTY (9.27): Madam Speaker, I move:
Page 2, lines 9 and 10, (definition of "boxing"), omit "or any other style of fighting (other than kick boxing)", substitute ", kick boxing or any other style of fighting".
In moving this amendment I want to make it clear that I do so in the interests of all who wish to participate in kick boxing competitions in the ACT. The Government, through this Bill before us, seems to differentiate between one form of boxing and another and I have not heard any convincing arguments from the Minister that it is necessary to do that. It seems to accept a proposal that by banning kick boxing it protects potential contestants.
I have argued, and will continue to hold the view, that in most cases prohibition does not work, particularly when an activity is only prohibited in particular forms. In this case the Government proposes to allow kick boxing training and practice but says that competitions are not allowed. In my opinion this will force contests underground and fail contestants by not ensuring the best possible codes of practice for the conduct of bouts and the manner of protective clothing to be worn. Madam Speaker, if my amendment is successful the Minister will have the responsibility for developing those very codes of practice.
Madam Speaker, earlier in this debate I congratulated the Government in finding a balance between adopting our own and interstate standards for boxing competitions. I feel that using the existing New South Wales system of registration is an appropriate way to avoid inconsistencies across the border and efficiently avoid duplication of like services. I also support the Government's initiative in ensuring ACT control of boxing contests by the development of codes of practice described at clause 16 of the Bill before us.
But why is the Government moving toward an outright ban on one particular form of boxing? New South Wales has not banned kick boxing, nor has any other State or Territory in Australia, although I have been informed that possibly some jurisdictions may wish to ban it. In Queensland there is no regulation whatsoever, South Australia seems to be rethinking its position, Western Australia treats it as a form of boxing, and the remaining States and the Northern Territory allow kick boxing after police approval. Despite the differing views on the need for regulation, I have not seen any evidence that warrants the singling out of this one form of boxing from others to be banned.
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