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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 3 Hansard (27 March) . . Page.. 689 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

the members of the AHA, independent licensees, will all go some way to following these recommendations, the majority of which are quite good. That is why I am pleased they are supporting my view that there should be some restriction on the sale of alcohol. They are offering a voluntary 5.00 am close, so we are only two hours off. Perhaps we can wear them down. I am not holding my breath, though.

We spoke about the problems in Civic, and I would like to congratulate Tony Curtis from the Civic police station and Jeff Brown for the work they have done over the last few months. I think that can continue. I have never said that my proposal is the ultimate solution. I do not think there is an ultimate solution to the problems we have. I just think this could be a significant step. As I said before, I am basing my assumption on my own view, on research and information I have received from different parties; but nowhere can I find anything in black and white that says that this will happen or that will happen. I suppose that that is why I went down this path. Ms Tucker raised concerns about why I did what I did. The power we have given to Mr Humphries is a major shift in power, I agree; but I think it is well worth the risk.

Taking the worst case scenario - I do not believe that it will happen and the police certainly do not think it will - if Ms Tucker comes in after one day and says that there is a marked increase in one particular crime or another, there is nothing to stop Mr Humphries automatically changing the regulation. I personally do not think that will happen, but we chose this option so that if there was a marked increase or decrease one way or the other it would not require a major change in legislation in the Assembly to right it. That is why I went down this path.

I hope that I have clarified a number of points there. I thank the Government, I thank Mr Moore, and I thank Ms Follett and Ms Tucker for their input. I am very pleased that we all have taken what I consider to be a very sensible approach and have debated this whole issue sensibly. I think we have already seen that it is having some sort of impact and, hopefully, it can improve and my legislation will have some impact.

Ms Follett: Maybe not what you wanted, though.

MR OSBORNE: Finally, there is one more point I would like to raise about the 6 o'clock swill.

Mr Moore: This is your third "finally".

MR OSBORNE: This is my third "finally", but I am getting interjections from Ms Follett, so that it is prolonging it a little. To talk about the 6 o'clock swill is a very valid argument.

Mr Moore: It was before your time.

MR OSBORNE: It was well before my time, but I have witnessed and perhaps once or twice taken part in some sort of swill myself.

Mr Moore: I cannot believe it.

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