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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 1 Hansard (18 February) . . Page.. 75 ..

Mr Moore: Perhaps I can explain, because I raised this issue earlier.

MR WHITECROSS: I am happy to sit down at this stage and perhaps get leave to speak again later, after Mr Moore has had a lash.

MR MOORE (5.23): Mr Speaker, I raised this issue when I was discussing this motion earlier. First of all, the intention is that there be just one television camera in here at that time. It may well be that for the following Wednesday referred to in the motion there may be two cameras. I know that Prime Television has already discussed with the other networks the availability of the full footage. That assurance has already been given, and I know that it will be given to the Speaker.

Secondly, if you look at paragraph (3) of the motion it says "the use by any television station of any part of the recorded proceedings". So, on the one hand, we have how it is done in the chamber - narrowing that and putting that responsibility - and, on the other hand, how it is used. I think what you are more concerned about is how it is used. That is dealt with in paragraph (3) in the motion we have, where it says:

the use by any television station of any part of the recorded proceedings and excerpts in subsequent news, current affairs and documentary programs, provided that the reporting is fair and accurate and not for the purpose of satire or ridicule. Points of order and remarks withdrawn are not to be rebroadcast. ...

The motion is quite clear as to its import for other television stations. I have had reassurances from Prime Television - I understand that they have also gone to the Speaker - that it will be available to any other station that wants it. The other stations themselves are conscious of that. I have had discussions with the stations other than Prime about having that available. I had exactly the same concerns as Mr Whitecross and I believe they are adequately dealt with.

This does draw our attention to the need for Mr Humphries to get on with the legislation that was given to Parliamentary Counsel over three months ago, after being through a very long process in this Assembly, through its committees and so forth. Let us get it back to the Assembly as quickly as we can.

MR WHITECROSS (Leader of the Opposition) (5.25): I seek leave to speak again.

Leave granted.

MR WHITECROSS: Having had occasion to consult with the Deputy Clerk, I am happy to accept that the motion will work in the way that is described, though perhaps it is not as clearly worded as I might have expected. The thing that caught me out was that this motion refers to a specific television station, whereas the draft motion that I saw before did not nominate a particular TV station.

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