Page 1457 - Week 05 - Thursday, 12 May 1994
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With those thoughts, Madam Speaker, I will conclude my remarks on the select committee's report, Alcohol and Youth - A Rite of Passage?, and also my thoughts on the Government's response. But, as I said earlier, I believe that on this occasion the Government has got it right; and I certainly welcome their extensive response to the committee's work.
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General and Minister for Health) (11.06): I thank Ms Szuty for her contribution. This report raises some very substantial issues. There may have been some implied criticism of the Government for taking a while to respond to this committee; but one of the key recommendations that the committee made related to the proof of age card, and members will be aware that the Government has for some time been saying that an abundance of caution was the way to proceed on a proof of age card. We have been criticised for that. I have noticed press releases saying that we have now done a backflip.
The reality is that the proof of age card will work effectively only if it comes into being with the endorsement and blessing of the youth sector of Canberra. If a government or an Assembly tried to force a proof of age card down the throats of Canberra's young people, it would be counterproductive. During the period from the committee's report to the date of the Government's decision, there was obviously some discussion with the youth sector. We were in the happy position that we were able to say that the youth sector agreed with the proof of age card, subject to some civil liberties protections which I hope members see as sensible.
We were able to respond to the full package of recommendations in a way that had the agreement of the youth sector. While that meant some delay in providing our response, it meant avoiding a controversy with the youth sector over civil liberties issues. Members opposite may think that it was really not a civil liberties issue. One can have some sympathy with that point of view, but members opposite will recall the remarkable political success that their party had some years ago over the Australia Card. It raised the same sorts of issues. There was potential for a divisive - - -
Mr Cornwell: Go and talk to the youth out there. There is a lot of support for this card.
MR CONNOLLY: There is now through their organised sector, but there was a lot of concern beforehand. Now we are in the happy position where everyone agrees with it. We had almost been referring to this as an issue for the 18- to 25-year-olds. I note that there have been some calls for the card to be extended beyond 25-year-olds. We see no difficulty with that. In practice, it will be demand led by the 18- to 25-year-olds, but if older people want it there is no problem with that.
There will be some negotiation with members as we bring into the chamber the sort of civil liberties protections that the youth sector wants. That is essentially to say to them that this is not a general purpose identity card; that it is specifically for the purpose of proving age on licensed premises. The Government has in mind some quite stringent protections. The card can be required to be produced on licensed premises only by police or licensing inspectors or by licensees or their staff. We said to the youth sector that we would guarantee them that this would not be a general purpose identity card, which might
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