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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2506 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

At the end of that meeting Mr Moore, Mr Whitecross and I discussed how to proceed on the electoral Bill. We agreed that the issues of four-year terms and October elections should be separated. Mr Whitecross did indicate that he would have to discuss further with his party what they would actually do with the October election, but he indicated that there was likely to be some measure of support for a shifting of the date to that time of year. He was still talking about whether it should be in November rather than in October, but the point is that he still agreed to a shift to that time of year.

Mr Moore: And he was still talking about the Financial Management Act too.

MR HUMPHRIES: That is right. He was still talking about the Financial Management Act. We all agreed that there would have to be some consideration of how to deal with that issue flowing from this amendment. Since we are talking about the issue of the Financial Management Act not arising until October 2001, it is not exactly an issue which is of burning urgency at the moment. We did not say that nothing further could proceed until that was done. We proposed to deal with it in that way. We had agreement from the Australian Labor Party, agreement which the now leader of the Labor Party appears to want to back away from, in a most unstatesmanlike act, I might say.

Mr Berry: I asked for more time.

MR HUMPHRIES: You did not ask for more time. You demanded it when the Bill actually came before the house. Let me put on the record very clearly what the facts are. This matter was discussed and agreed. The amendment proposing October elections reflects the recommendations of the Electoral Commission that we should move to October elections. Mr Berry, with respect, misinformed the house about that.

Mr Berry: About what?

MR HUMPHRIES: You should have been listening, Mr Berry. The Electoral Commission recommended what we are now doing. It recommended October elections. We are implementing what was recommended in a report handed down in 1995. We are supporting what is in a Bill which has been on the table since December 1996.

Mr Moore: November 1996.

MR HUMPHRIES: I am sorry; November 1996. Debate was adjourned in December 1996. The Bill has been on the table for a very long period of time. Members have had adequate time to consider these issues. If Mr Berry has not done that, if he has not done his homework, if he cannot talk to his party colleagues - - -

Mr Berry: Ram it through.

MR HUMPHRIES: If he wants to childishly characterise this as ramming it through, when he knows that there has been extensive discussion and consultation, I wash my hands of that sort of approach. Others in this place realise that we need to get on with the business of this place. This Bill has been on the table for a very long period of time. It needs to be dealt with. We propose to support the amendments put forward today as a way of dealing with it, and we support the Bill.

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