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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3819 ..

MS REILLY (continuing):

It goes beyond just language and acceptance of culture. It goes to what sorts of services are available. It goes to having the right policies and the right programs that allow access and allow freedom to take part fully in the Australian community. For those reasons I support the amendment put up by Mr Whitecross.

I would not agree with the amendment suggested by Mr Humphries - that we take out subparagraph (c) of that amendment - because, as I said at the beginning, language is important, just as other speakers have said tonight. It is important that, as part of the Government and as members of the ACT Assembly, we work towards making sure that all members of our community have access to services and that we facilitate their participation fully in our community through legislation and through the programs that we offer. (Extension of time granted) It is important, in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, that we participate in and work towards the reconciliation process, and that we recognise and acknowledge the long continuity and attachment that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have for the land. They are the custodians of this land and we should recognise and acknowledge this relationship. That is central to the success of the reconciliation process. I think it is important that we acknowledge the diversity of the ACT community and that we celebrate these differences and value all the contributions that we make to this community.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Training) (10.34): Mr Speaker, I will be brief. Like Mr Humphries, I do not really think we need Mr Whitecross's amendment. In fact, Ms Reilly has rattled off a large number of actions that this Government and previous governments of the ACT have taken in this area.

In relation to the substantive motion moved by Mrs Carnell, the ACT has a very proud tradition as a very diverse community which has welcomed people from over 60 nationalities to the Territory since World War II. These people have contributed immensely to the development of Canberra. Canberra would not be what it is today without the involvement of the very substantial proportion of our population who have come from overseas. Close on a third of the persons who are in the ACT now were born overseas. We also have a substantial population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. We are truly a multicultural city. People from various races and nationalities have contributed most significantly to this city. Accordingly, Mr Speaker, the Chief Minister's motion is a most appropriate and timely one, and it deserves the support of everyone in this house.

MR BERRY (10.35): Mr Speaker, I rise to express some disappointment at the amendment moved by Mr Humphries. I have to say, though, that I am happy that the earlier intention to delete the second subparagraph in Mr Whitecross's amendment has been dropped. I think that is a good sign. I have to say that Mr De Domenico made an eloquent speech in relation to this matter. In relation to subparagraph (c), there is a lot of relevance between what he said and what is available by way of the amendment proposed by the Leader of the Opposition. Mrs Carnell, I would have thought, would have supported that amendment because she has had such a high profile on these issues. She has made some quite good points about the interpreter card. I would have thought that a subparagraph which merely says "report to the Assembly on the progress towards developing an ACT Languages Policy" would not have ruffled her at all. Again, I am disappointed in that.

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