Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2406 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

Mr Speaker, the funny thing about this is that this is a balance, but you can have both. The supermarkets in the town centres, those four town centres, only part of the whole shopping complex, the whole panorama of Canberra shopping, still are open 85 hours a week. That is more than anywhere else in the country. So what are these people complaining about? We still have the group centres, where you can shop 24 hours a day if you want to. At least this Bill does give that window of opportunity, a chance for those small businesses that I think most of us realise are very desirable, and that we really do want to keep operating in our local suburbs if we possibly can. This gives them a chance.

This Bill really is about true social equity, about true social justice, about really supporting small business. It does not do anything really to affect big business either. It is a good balance. It is a difficult equation. This is not easy, but at least, contrary to what the last Government did, which was sit on its hands and do absolutely nothing, this Government has done something. It is good to see that that has been recognised by a number of people in our community, especially those small businesses who are suffering. This is something at least, which is vastly different from what the previous lot did, which was absolutely nothing.

MS HORODNY (10.35): The Greens will be supporting this legislation, quite obviously. We have been saying so for the last several weeks. Contrary to some in this place, we believe that the Government does have a role to intervene in the market where it is for the long-term good of the community, and especially when there are such clear distortions in the market as there are now in retail in the ACT. Some people wonder why the Greens care about this issue at all. Why are we bothering to stand up for local businesses? We do care about local business, Mr Speaker. I have been around to many of the local shopping centres in Belconnen and spoken to dozens of small business people around Belconnen.

Mr Moore: How is this going to help? It is not going to help at all.

MS HORODNY: It is because we care about the local economy, and it is because we want - -

Mr Moore: Care? Come on.

Mr Osborne: Stop the lies, Mr Speaker.

MS HORODNY: Mr Speaker, could I have some peace and quiet, please?

MR SPEAKER: Yes, you can have some silence. Ms Horodny has the floor. She listened quietly to the rest of you. The least you can do is to - - -

Mr Osborne: She has been asleep, Mr Speaker.

Mr Moore: Yes, but, Mr Speaker, we were not putting rubbish up like she is.

MR SPEAKER: There has been a lot of that in this chamber, Mr Moore. I do not think anybody is exempt. Please continue, Ms Horodny.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .