Page 3168 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 September 1993
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Madam Speaker, this motion simply puts into effect the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedures in the report that has just been adopted by the Assembly. I think members of the Assembly can take pride in the fact that, other than the Federal Parliament, we will be the first house in Australia to be adopting this concept. It is a very important concept that a number of citizens have asked us for, particularly during the First Assembly but also in this Assembly. I think that it is an appropriate right to be provided for people.
MR LAMONT (10.54): On behalf of the Government, I indicate that the Labor Party has agreed to support the spirit, the intent and the letter of the recommendations. Madam Speaker, the second motion that has been foreshadowed for debate this morning concerns the obligation of members of this Assembly to take into account various matters when debating issues and making statements in this house. I find it pleasing, as a member of the committee, to see that we have support from every member of the Assembly for the concept of the citizen's right of reply in the form that has been tabled in this Assembly. I do wish to make more extended comment in relation to the freedom of speech question and I will do so when that motion comes before us.
The only change from what occurs in the Senate is in the concept of corporations having a right to respond where those corporations believe that they, as corporate entities, have been slighted. I believe that that is a necessary addition, given the nature of issues debated in this Assembly as distinct from the issues and matters debated in the Senate from time to time. I think that we generally become more involved in debates of a much more specific nature, particularly when considering matters of business regulation and so forth. I think it is true to say that this Assembly would undertake far more debate on those matters than, say, the Senate does. The Government has a great deal of pride in supporting this very welcome initiative.
MR HUMPHRIES (10.57): I might indicate briefly, Madam Speaker, that, as I said when I introduced the motion concerning citizen's right of reply on the previous sitting day, the Opposition is certainly supportive of this measure.
I ask members to note that paragraph 10 of the motion refers to the resolution continuing in force only for the life of the Second Assembly. This is quite deliberately designed, I think, to ensure that this issue is reviewed and assessed for its worth at the end of this Assembly and, in fact, by the Third Assembly when it meets, early in its manifestation; but I think that we will have difficulty in assessing the worth of these provisions if they are not used. It will be very hard to work out whether we should continue with such a provision if no-one has actually employed it. I do not know whether that will be the case. Obviously I hope that it will be the case because that would be a reflection, perhaps, of the way in which things have occurred in the Assembly; but, if it is so used, then I think we will have a valuable opportunity to assess whether this is a worthwhile process.
Similar provisions in the Australian Senate have been used, I understand, on about 10 occasions since they were introduced a number of years ago. I hope that it will not become an everyday occurrence; but I do hope that it will be a valuable safety valve for those who might be, from time to time, mentioned in the course of proceedings in this Assembly. I commend this motion to the house.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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