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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 10 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 2827 ..

Mr Connolly: You had just better hope the commas are in the right place.

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, I hope the commas, indeed, are in the right place. This is a matter where it is appropriate for us to engage in some educative law-making. Let me say that I do not foresee many prosecutions under this legislation. Indeed, it is quite conceivable that the legislation will have been effective, notwithstanding the lack of any prosecution under it, in that it makes very clear what perhaps is not entirely clear, that is, that the carrying out of such practices for cultural or other reasons is not appropriate in our nation and that we therefore make a very clear statement that such practices should not occur.

I gave my wife Nine Parts of Desire for Christmas. I have not yet had the chance to read it, but I intend to read it when I finish the book I am reading at the moment, which takes rather a long time in my household because I do not get much time for reading.

Mr Moore: Maybe she could give it back to you for this Christmas.

MR HUMPHRIES: That is a good idea. It will save money, too. I think we need to be very clear that, although educative, it is also a matter of some concern as to the impact this legislation might have around the country. It might be a slight danger, but there is a danger that some practices that have been carried out in a semi-public or semi-acceptable way within some communities might be carried out more surreptitiously, in other words, driven underground to some extent. There is some danger that we could end up losing the interaction with the medical community or with the health sector generally that might be able to pick up such cases and assist them when they come to the attention of the public. There is that danger; but the Government's assessment, and I think the rest of the Assembly agree with this assessment, was that it would be better for this practice to be clearly outlawed in our legislation, so that we educate members of communities from elsewhere in the world who come to Australia that this particular practice, although perhaps a venerated one in their own homeland, ought not to be carried through to Australia.

I have to agree with Mr Connolly about the problem of targeting husbands in these circumstances. My advice is that female genital mutilation is almost exclusively a female practice, that it is conducted by women on other women, and it is therefore quite important that we not - - -

Ms McRae: For men, so they will marry those women. Come on! It is for male needs. They will not marry a girl if she has not been treated that way. So come off the grass!

MR HUMPHRIES: I do not know that that is the case. I do not know that it is because men - - -

Ms McRae: You should be careful what you say.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

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