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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2375 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

The Greens, most of all, ought to be considering their position, because nobody trumpets consultation more than the Greens. If you listen to the Greens, nobody trumpets consultativeness more than the Greens. The Greens really ought to respond quite warmly to the proposal to adjourn debate on this Bill until the committee has a chance to consider all the issues and engage in that important consultation with the community before they present to this Assembly a report which may then influence the debate on the Bill. The Bill should lay on the table until we get to it.

There is another very important issue which will not escape members, I am sure. The Minister who introduced the Bill has taken off to Darwin.

Mrs Carnell: On Government business.

Mr Hird: On Government business, and you know it.

MR BERRY: Nobody is criticising him for doing Government business in Darwin - yet. This very important piece of legislation was introduced by the Minister for Business, Employment and Tourism, who sang loudly about the good things that this legislation would do in delivering the Government's policy.

Mr Moore: When they let him talk.

MR BERRY: Yes. One of his good suits has been spoilt by the araldite on the seat of the pants which glued him to his seat at question time for a couple of days. The Minister responsible for the introduction of the legislation will not even be in the place to argue the case. That would have to be unprecedented in the history of this place, and I would suspect that you would have to search a bit in other places to find a situation where the Minister who introduced a Bill - - -

Mr Hird: It has happened.

MR BERRY: Mr Hird says that it has happened. It has not happened here, to my recollection. I think you would have to search around for a situation where, other than in emergency circumstances, the Minister responsible for a particular Bill has taken off to do other Government business outside of the State or country where he is supposed to represent the interests of his constituents. For both of those reasons, I think there is a sound case for this Assembly to adjourn consideration of the Trading Hours Bill, at least until the next sitting but certainly until the committee which is going to be considering the issue has had a chance to consult with the community, develop its report and make that report public. I repeat that on both of those grounds it is the height of arrogance and disdain for the community for this Assembly to have a committee of inquiry which would have to be regarded as a phoney inquiry if this Bill is passed.

I do not know how the Greens would feel about being associated with a phoney inquiry and a process which to the ordinary person in the street would look as though it had been designed to get the Greens off the hook rather than deal with the issue. I would have thought they would be rather more comfortable with the Trading Hours Bill staying on

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