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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 (Hansard) 16 May) . . Page.. 1406 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Across this country, hundreds of thousands of guns will be handed in pursuant to the compensation package and the amnesty issued at the same time. The cost to the Australian community of paying the market cost of those guns will range, on various estimates, between $300m and $600m - an enormous sum of money. I suggest, with respect, that, if somehow we had resolved to have all guns taken in at this point in time, the cost would be colossal, running into billions of dollars. I am simply saying that, while it is true that we have not affected most guns by having them brought in, requiring them to be handed in, we have affected every gun owned in the community in some way or another, and we have taken a step of enormous consequence.

As I said at the outset, I want to thank members who will be supporting this legislation today. I also want particularly to thank officers of my department, who have been working very hard to achieve delivery of this package in a very short space of time. I know that officers of the Attorney-General's Department, including the Parliamentary Counsel's Office, worked over the weekend to get the legislation in on Tuesday, and they have been committed all the way to that exercise. I thank them for their commitment and their effort. I also again thank members of this place for supporting this legislation.

I will take the step of asking that a vote be recorded on this matter. Other parliaments are yet to pass legislation of this kind, and I believe that it will be salutary to be able to show other parliaments that in this place - a parliament consisting of Labor and Liberal members, Independents and Greens - there was no hesitation in supporting the package as it stood in its entirety; and I believe that that will be the case. I note that Mr Kaine is absent; I am certain that I can say on his behalf that he would have been very willing to stand up today and cast his vote for this package. Whoever is paired with Mr Kaine is freed of their pair for the purposes of this vote, I am authorised to declare. I thank members once again for their support.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

MR SPEAKER: I understand that it is the wish of the Assembly that there be a call of the Assembly on the question: That this Bill be agreed to. I understand that all members who can be present are present.

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