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in advance, with some briefings. I am sure that, when you were in my shoes, you used to come in here and rail quite eloquently about the need for oppositions to have plenty of opportunity to consult on matters like these.

These are sensible amendments, it seems, and provide appropriate flexibility. They are the sorts of amendments that I would now in opposition, as you would have and did, put on the fax machine and shoot off to the Law Society and say to the criminal law section of that society, “Can you cast your eye over these? Are they all right? Has there been the appropriate consultation?”. Given the importance of this Bill and the fact that you have explained to me that everything is ready to go with this Bill and it would be helpful if it could be passed this sitting - it is a one-week sitting and we have a break of some weeks before we sit again - I can understand your wish to get this Bill through. We would be very keen in future, and I would hope to get an undertaking from you, that when there are measures of this sort we could perhaps get more fulsome advice in advance.

I am prepared to take you at your word as to what you have described these amendments as being. In so far as your remarks as I heard them are concerned, it seems a sensible measure; but you can understand a certain reluctance by an opposition to deal with measures that relate to such an important matter on its face. We are prepared to accept that this time because the Assembly is only getting into the swing of things, but I would hope that in future we could get a little more advance notice of these matters. No doubt these amendments were circulated this morning. I must say that I was not aware of them and I had not been aware in any other discussions about this that there were significant amendments. I think it is fair for me to describe these as amendments of some significance; they are not just minor technical issues. Again, I accept what Mr Humphries said about them. It seems a sensible way to ensure that you do not have an undesirable end result; but as an opposition, and also, I think, on behalf of Independent members, we can quite properly flag that there will be a bit of reluctance in the future to accept amendments at this short notice on a matter of such importance.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (3.57): Mr Speaker, to pick up Mr Connolly's observations, I discussed the substance of these amendments immediately with his predecessor as corrective services spokesman for the Labor Party, Mr Lamont, when his Bill came down late last year. I had thought he accepted the concept of that change. I obviously should have discussed it further with Mr Connolly. They were tabled this morning. That has not been a departure from the standard used in this house before. In the past amendments of this complexity, and much greater, have been tabled on the floor of the house on the day they were to be debated. However, I have made an issue in the past about being properly informed, and I take the point Mr Connolly raises. I hope that we can have a high standard of advance notice to members of the Opposition and crossbenchers about these matters, and I will endeavour to make sure that these things are circulated in advance in the future.

Amendments agreed to.

Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

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