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AMA and the awards that were given. I was actually there when those awards were given by the AMA. I must say that, at the time, Brendan Nelson actually paid compliments to the ACT Assembly for being a leader - complimenting not only the Minister but also other members of the ACT Assembly who had been involved with and supportive of it. He did it in what I thought was a very sensible and non-partisan way. That is how this Assembly has been able to achieve great strides forward in this legislation.

There is some way to go. I think that is implied in the motion of Mr Berry’s. I look forward to the current Minister for Health moving appropriately, wherever it is possible, to stand up against tobacco companies. They will always find new ways of trying to get their message out. It will be appropriate for us to ensure that we continue to reduce the harm associated with this most addictive substance.

Mr Osborne: I hope that you stand up against heroin in the same way, Michael.

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, I heard an interjection from Mr Osborne, showing his very shallow understanding of what has happened on this issue for some years. Indeed, in exactly the same way, I have stood up against heroin. The term I used was that we “reduce the harm associated with this most addictive substance”. I will continue to work as hard as I possibly can to reduce the harm associated with heroin, as has been the sensible approach in this Assembly. I hope that Mr Osborne also will learn to base his thinking on the reduction of harm associated with whatever drug it is that we talk about. Given the opportunity, Mr Speaker, I would be only too delighted to take Mr Osborne through the process of reduction of harm and how we can improve the reducing of harm associated with all drugs.

As I said, the reduction of harm from tobacco is something on which all members of the Assembly are in agreement. Of course, we have differences of opinion on what are the best ways to go about it. The worst possible way to go about it is to be caught up in preconceived prejudices about whatever drug it is that we are dealing with. So, I look forward to working with other members - in just the same way as I have worked with Mr Berry to reduce the harm associated with tobacco - in reducing the harm associated with whatever substance causes harm, so that we can base our thinking on how we can improve the health of the population. That is what we are all interested in. I include Mr Osborne in that comment. It is important that we keep an open mind to ensure that we can achieve that goal.

MR BERRY (11.22), in reply: Mr Speaker, interestingly, this morning I was reminded by a member of the ACT Greens that the curing of tobacco is often done by smoking it and that the timber from rainforests is often used in that process. That demonstrates how strong the addiction is, when members of the Greens party cannot give up smoking. It is a dreadful addiction. We all know about the commitment of the Greens party of Australia to the rainforests of the world. It demonstrates, I think, just how strong an addiction tobacco can be.

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