Page 4344 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 7 December 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MRS CARNELL: Ms Follett, I was not draped in the doorway of a brothel. I was drawing community attention to two issues which, I believe, are important, and you, obviously, do not, and that is the protection of women from exploitation and the practice of safe sex. These two issues, obviously, as I have said, are not close to Ms Follett's heart. I launched the open day at Mitchell because I wanted to promote health issues and to let the community know - - -
Ms Follett: You made a bad mistake.
Mr Berry: You made a blunder.
MRS CARNELL: Madam Speaker, please!
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
Ms Follett: She talks through everybody else, so I think we ought to be able to talk all through her.
MRS CARNELL: Thank you. I wanted to let the community know that, I think rightly, this Assembly voted to decriminalise brothels in the ACT in order to allow them to operate under close scrutiny, with the protection of the wider community in mind. One of the greatest problems facing society today is, obviously, the transmission of AIDS. I believe that this is an important issue, Madam Speaker. I think this Assembly accepted, during the debate last year, that brothels would always exist and that it was very, very important for this community to ensure that they were regulated properly. I have, therefore, supported, as has everybody else in this Assembly, strict guidelines for the operation of brothels in the ACT.
When I was approached by the AIDS Action Council and WISE to open the brothel open day as part of AIDS awareness month, leading up to AIDS Action Day - something that I believe is very important - I was very happy to go ahead. I believe, unlike, obviously, the Chief Minister, that one of the important things that we did as an Assembly when we passed that legislation was to protect the rights of the women who work in these establishments, to ensure that they are able to work in an establishment as other people are willing to work, and to stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and AIDS in particular. I believe that this is an important issue, Madam Speaker. I am disappointed that the Chief Minister does not.
Tourism Commission
MR STEVENSON (9.48): I wish to congratulate the Tourism Commission and those responsible for the excellent service that they are providing. Recently some people I know came to Canberra and went to the Tourism Commission. They were pleasantly surprised to get a list of accommodation with various price ranges. That may seem a logical and simple thing, but it is not usually done. It is an excellent idea. On a number of occasions I have called in to the commission to check whether they are pushing magazines that advertise pornography or to see what sort of a service they have. I must admit that I am encouraged by the professional approach of their staff and the wide display of the many magnificent attractions we have in Canberra. So, all in all, a job well done.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Assembly adjourned at 9.50 pm
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .