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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 8 Hansard (24 October) . . Page.. 1955 ..

MR MOORE (3.57): It is interesting, is it not, Mr Speaker, that some people worry about whether we are going to be first or last. It is not a question of first or last. We have an obligation to consider this legislation by 1 July because the Chief Minister happened to make this commitment without consulting the crossbenches, so we have no commitment at all to that.

Mrs Carnell: Ms Follett has.

MR MOORE: I do not care who did it. That aside, the fact that we would be first or last has no bearing on whether we get a quality decision. The committee process is about ensuring that we have covered all aspects and looked at it as thoroughly as possible. That is why I think this is a very sensible motion. It is not just a case of saying, "It does not matter what we do because the other States are going to do it anyway". If that is the case, we would not be putting up legislation; we would not have legislation. It may be appropriate to modify the legislation; or it may be appropriate to look at the amendment the Greens have proposed and had circulated privately to other members. That amendment puts into effect a series of review processes in our legislation without affecting the way the legislation works, and that may be the most appropriate process.

I think it is far better that a committee looks at it and understands what it is about and produces a report on it, rather than the Assembly just taking willy-nilly whatever is presented to us because of a national agreement between heads of State governments in which some of us at least had no say whatsoever. I think it is a very good process and I think it is a good solution at this stage.

MR KAINE (3.58): I must say that I am sometimes confounded by the steps people will take to stop the business of government going on.

Mr De Domenico: Do not be unpleasant.

MR KAINE: No, I am not being unpleasant. People either do not understand or have forgotten the origin of this Bill. This Bill is not a product of the mind of this Government. This Bill is a product of work that was undertaken at the Commonwealth level and which led to recommendations for certain action to be taken right across Australia. In order to implement that program, which was agreed by the former Chief Minister at various heads of government meetings and the like, we need to take legislative action here. That is the origin of this Bill. What is the committee going to do? I have agreed to sit on it, but I must say that I am confounded as to what I am going to do. When you see the terms of reference - - -

Mr Berry: Somebody will let you know.

Ms McRae: It is okay. We will show you a draft report.

MR KAINE: The hens are cackling over the other side, Mr Speaker. Can you not keep them quiet?

MR SPEAKER: Yes. You are all getting a bit restless.

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