Page 2654 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 25 August 1993
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election it knew that it wanted to create an abortion clinic, and it knew that it wanted to change the law with respect to abortion. That was the mandate that you needed; that was not the mandate that you sought. You did not mention abortion. You made no reference to abortion in the course of your election platform. It was, of course, in that document which one can pay $20 to obtain from the Labor Party headquarters in Belconnen.
Mr Connolly: You put it in an ad that went into every household in Canberra.
MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed, and you denied it. You people said that it was scaremongering. Have you forgotten that? You said that we were scaremongering; that we were kicking a can. Well, we were not, were we? We were telling the truth about the Labor Party's proposals for the ACT. You denied it and when you denied it you lost your capacity to gain a mandate to do those things. You should have gone back to the people of the ACT and said, "In the next term of office we propose to establish abortion facilities and to repeal the Termination of Pregnancy Act; please vote for us on that basis", and seen what would have happened then.
Madam Speaker, people have a right to feel betrayed because what they have had in the ACT is not what they wanted. I believe, Madam Speaker, that we betray the trust which has been placed in us as members of this Assembly if we proceed with this divisive step. I would ask that members consider very carefully whether they are serving the most pressing needs of this community in terms of expenditure of our health dollars by paying for this facility now. I would argue that we are not. I believe that I have demonstrated that there are many much more pressing needs than this particular service. I ask, therefore, that this motion receive support.
Question put:
That the motion (Mr Humphries's) be agreed to.
The Assembly voted -
AYES, 6 NOES, 10
Mrs Carnell Mr Berry
Mr Cornwell Mr Connolly
Mr De Domenico Ms Ellis
Mr Humphries Ms Follett
Mr Kaine Mrs Grassby
Mr Westende Mr Lamont
Ms McRae
Mr Moore
Ms Szuty
Mr Wood
Question so resolved in the negative.
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