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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 10 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 3108 ..

MS FOLLETT (continuing):

Fourthly:

To consider the merits of strengthening the powers of Local Councils within the licensing laws.

Mr Speaker, in his answer to Mr Osborne's question, Mr Humphries gave the clear impression that the New South Wales Government had, in fact, moved to a restrictive regime. He said in part:

I am aware that the New South Wales Minister for Racing and Gaming, Mr Face, only last weekend - very well timed, I would have thought - foreshadowed a 2.00 am closing time.

Mr Speaker, Mr Face has done no such thing, and I think it is extremely misleading of the Minister to put forward that point of view. I say again that what the New South Wales Minister has done is put out, for comprehensive consultation, a document which has four terms of reference, all of which he will, in due course, consider the merits of. I also note in Mr Face's press release, Mr Speaker, that the areas that he has referred to include places such as, as he says:

Albury, Kempsey, Wagga Wagga, Grafton and Goulburn.

Nowhere in the press release has Mr Face referred to metropolitan Sydney, let alone Kings Cross; and nowhere in his press release has he actually referred to anywhere within his own electorate, which, as I recall, centres on the Hunter region, in particular Newcastle. For Mr Humphries's and Mr Osborne's benefit, I believe that a little information is a dangerous thing. I seek leave to table the full text of Mr Face's press release.

Leave granted.

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MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (6.28), in reply: I just want to reaffirm one thing, Mr Speaker. I do not think I heard anything in that comment by Ms Follett, quoting Mr Face, that contradicted what I said yesterday to the Assembly. Clearly, Mr Face and the New South Wales Government are reconsidering their position. If they move away from what they have now, they must move towards a restriction - - -

Opposition members interjected.

MR HUMPHRIES: They are very nervous, are they not?

MR SPEAKER: Order! You will not drown people out by these inane interruptions.

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