Page 1444 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 11 May 1994
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ADJOURNMENT
Motion (by Mr Lamont) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
South Africa
MR DE DOMENICO (4.48): Madam Speaker, I rise to talk briefly about the fact that in October 1992 I was fortunate enough to be invited to make a trip to South Africa. At the time, certain people thought that that was a bit of a worry. But so be it; off I went. Amongst the people I met in South Africa was someone - at that stage I did not realise who he was - who was prepared to sit down with me for about three-and-a-half hours and talk to me about the fact that, notwithstanding that he had a master of economics degree, had studied in London, had worked for the World Bank and had done an enormous number of things, he still was not allowed to vote in his own country. Of course, that would be a matter of concern to all of us, I should imagine, being used to a democracy. I truly did not know who that person was at that stage.
I have today written a letter to that person congratulating him on just being elected Senior Vice-President in the Republic of South Africa and also head of the new South African Cabinet. That man is Mr Thabo Mbeki. Notwithstanding our political persuasions in this chamber, I dare say that we would all delight at what has happened in South Africa in recent times. Democratic elections have been held and the people have spoken, and so they should have. I say thank you to the people who invited me. It was certainly an eye-opener. It demonstrated that we are lucky here in the ACT and in Australia with the democratic processes that we have. I would like to congratulate Thabo Mbeki on having been elected Senior Vice-President of the Republic of South Africa and thank him for the enlightening three hours that he spent with me. I dare say that it made me change a lot of the views that I had held before going there, and I thank him for that as well.
Self-Government Anniversary
MR MOORE (4.50): Madam Speaker, what Mr De Domenico said about democracy in South Africa and the way people fought for it there, of course, contrasts greatly with what happened in the ACT just five years ago. I felt it appropriate to stand in the adjournment debate today and state how proud I feel to have served in the ACT Legislative Assembly for its five years. I could not allow this anniversary to go by without comment. Madam Speaker, we had some difficult years in those first three years in particular. To those of us in the Second Assembly, the new Assembly building seems to be a far more reasonable place in which to work. It has certainly been a very rewarding experience, as far as I am concerned. Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank the people of Canberra for giving me the opportunity to serve them in this way.
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