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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 6 Hansard (18 June) . . Page.. 1718 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

significant part of the legislation is that it does provide the power in the hands of the Speaker, having been guided by the Administration and Procedure Committee as to methodology, to permit broadcasting of Assembly proceedings; and then, further, that it allows the withdrawal of that permission. If that permission is abused, then the television station or the radio station which does so will simply miss out the next time. I think that is an effective penalty for abuse of what I think is an important privilege.

Mr Speaker, it does raise another issue for members to consider and perhaps to consider should they be in government after the next election, whichever side is in government, and that is the necessity, as I see it, to provide a set of cameras within this chamber in order to record proceedings as a matter of course, in the way they are recorded in the Federal Parliament, and to have that control in the hands of our administrative staff so that the television stations do not have to be in this chamber with their cameras. It will be recorded, and tapes can be provided for television or for radio. It seems to me that that is in many ways a much more effective way of going about it.

I realise there is a cost involved in that; and, of course, that will have to be considered amongst other priorities for funds; but the costs of running a democracy and ensuring a sturdy democracy are also particularly important and need to be taken into account. I think that this legislation will raise the profile and the reputation of the Assembly. Ordinary people will see us, as they do on television, at our work. I must say that our two previous experiments with this process - for the budget and for the debate on the euthanasia Bill - indicate that it can be used well. We should follow that process and encourage it.

There is something else that I think is particularly interesting about this legislation, Mr Speaker. Following the appropriate processes, it will also allow, for the first time, broadcasting of the proceedings of the Assembly committees. I think often, when people look at parliament, they say, "Oh; you sit for only 50 days, 47 days or 42 days a year". The perception is that that is where all the work is done. I think, having committee work, including actually what is said in committee, brought to the public will have the extra advantage of enhancing the reputation of the Assembly. Ordinary people will understand the style of work that is done within our Assembly, when the Assembly is not actually sitting.

Mr Speaker, I think there are quite a number of advantages to this legislation. I know members have considered, in detail, the broad process. I hope we will be able to bring it back on very quickly. I will be seeking, at the next Administration and Procedure Committee meeting, to have this brought on as early as next week. There is nothing new in the legislation; it is really just for members to check through and ensure that it does actually do what the committee process asked it to do. I believe it does. I would hope that we would be able to enhance these democratic processes as quickly as possible. Mr Speaker, I commend the Bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries) adjourned.

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