Page 4841 - Week 15 - Thursday, 8 December 1994
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MR STEFANIAK (4.57): Firstly, on a positive note: It is better late than never. Mr Connolly and I discussed this matter back in September 1991. In fact, I was going to move this as a private members Bill then. Mr Connolly said, "No; do not worry about it". He was very much in favour of it. He said that it would happen by the end of that year. Unfortunately, we saw divisions in the Labor Party - the divisions between Mr Connolly's sensible approach and the approach of the Left, which managed, effectively, to stall this for three years. A committee was established. I think my leader was on that committee, as were Mr Moore and several other members. They actually did go around and consult a lot of youths, including youths at colleges, the overwhelming majority of whom were in favour of it. My colleague Mr Humphries recently on radio, I think, put his finger on why the Government was so tardy with this, and that was that a slight majority of the Chief Minister's youth advisory committee, reflecting very much the majority Labor Party line - because I do exclude Mr Connolly - had some spurious worries about civil liberties. They proved to be totally unfounded. Finally, we have this Bill. Better late than never. In relation to the amendment that my colleague is going to move, generally, that will be of assistance in terms of curtailing drinking in public. That is the amendment to section 84. Unlike Mr Connolly, I will just rely on my drivers licence. I probably look a lot older than he does and probably do not need one of these pubcards.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail Stage
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole
MS SZUTY (4.59): I move:
Page 7, lines 11 to 19, clause 12, proposed subsection 83(2), definition of "responsible adult", omit the definition, substitute the following definition:
"'responsible adult' means a person who is 18 years of age or more and who, by his or her behaviour, could reasonably be expected to exercise responsible supervision;".
The current definition of a responsible adult, which is included at clause 12 of the Bill, is very prescriptive. I will read it for members. It states:
'responsible adult', in relation to a person under the age of 18 years (in this subsection called a 'minor'), means a person who is 18 years of age or more and who is -
(a) a parent, step-parent or guardian of the minor;
(b) the minor's spouse:
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