Page 3184 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 September 1993
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MR STEVENSON: It is not hard to puzzle you, Wayne. On that day, I asked members simply to insert a term of reference - Mr Cornwell was not here then to hear this; this is news to some people - to allow the opportunity for this Assembly to have that matter inquired into. I said at that time that it could well hold relevance in other matters, such as the one that is before us today. Not allowing the matter to be heard at all, the term of reference was not agreed to. I ask: Why not?
Mr Berry: I raise a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. I think you have been very generous with Mr Stevenson. I do not think this has much to do with the national registration scheme for agricultural and veterinary chemicals.
MR STEVENSON: As I mentioned, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, it has a great deal to do with the powers of governments.
Mr Berry: I would ask you not to be so generous, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Stevenson, will you please come to the point.
MR STEVENSON: Yes, indeed. Once again, the point I make is that when we look at who has power to make laws for the ACT - and that certainly comes within the national registration scheme - we should understand these important matters. They must have been important because the Labor Party mentioned them, Mr Moore mentioned them and Mr Humphries mentioned them. That is about everybody else in this place. Surely it is reasonable that I mention them and go into some details, if other people are so concerned about them.
Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker: Standing order 62 refers to irrelevance or tedious repetition of the member's own arguments or arguments used by other members in the debate. Mr Stevenson has clearly pointed out that everybody else has used this argument, so he is going to as well, thereby putting a nail in his own coffin, so to speak.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Stevenson, would you please continue your discussion with regard to the matter before the house.
MR STEVENSON: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, if other members are prepared to say that they were being tediously repetitious in bringing up a matter and that they now feel that they should not have, perhaps next time they will think before they open their mouths. If nearly every party in this Assembly feels that it is important to discuss whether the Assembly has certain powers or whether the Commonwealth has the powers, I should be allowed to elaborate on the same matter. Is that not reasonable?
Once again, people are prepared to say things but do not like someone replying. What has that to do with free speech? Just a few minutes ago, Mr Moore was on his feet talking about free speech. When I want to reply to certain matters that are relevant to the motion, he hops up and says, "He should not be allowed to, I implore you". Then Mr Berry did the same thing.
Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I draw your attention again to standing order 62 and point out that it finishes by saying that "the Speaker may direct the Member to cease speaking". I remind you that you do have that power.
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