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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (2 September) . . Page.. 2740 ..

MR KAINE: First of all, I was not aware that clean fill was being dumped at our tips, and I would need to be satisfied that it was clean fill. I presume that the people at the tip are working on the basis that anything that is taken there to be dumped is charged for at standard rates. If it is clean fill, then there are probably plenty of other places where the people could dump it by arrangement. I accept the general thrust of the question. If it is clean fill, is reusable and could be put to better use than simply being dumped in the tip, then perhaps the Government would look at ways of encouraging people to do something else with it. It is not a matter that has come up before. I will take the question on notice and see whether some arrangements can be put in place to deal with it.

MR MOORE: My question is to Mrs Carnell as Chief Minister. I refer you to a letter which you sent to me on 14 August and in which you enclosed a copy of a letter from the Prime Minister to you with reference to the impact of the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997, sometimes known as the Andrews Act, on the ACT. When you wrote to the Prime Minister, did you seek an exemption from the Act which would frustrate the will of the Parliament, as is implied by Mr Howard's letter, or did you seek a regulation to protect our Medical Treatment Act? Is the Prime Minister simply being disingenuous, or has the Federal Parliament left suffering people with limited choice and medical professionals with making difficult decisions which are open to challenge?

MRS CARNELL: As Mr Moore knows, what I was after from the Prime Minister was an assurance that the legislation passed in the Federal Parliament would not impact on our legislation here in the ACT.

Mr Berry: Just get Gary to issue a direction to the DPP.

MRS CARNELL: I wanted the Prime Minister to make whatever changes were necessary to ensure that our Medical Treatment Act was protected, taking into account some legal advice that we have had in the ACT to suggest that there may be some questions involved. At the end of the day this Assembly passed the Medical Treatment Bill, and I believe this Assembly has a right to ensure that what was in that legislation can be enforced.

MR MOORE: I have a supplementary question. It follows an interjection from Mr Berry, who suggested that perhaps Mr Humphries should just issue a direction to the Director of Public Prosecutions. It is interesting that Mr Berry lasted just a little over an hour in not dealing with issues such as euthanasia, but in spite of that - - -

MR SPEAKER: Order! Ask your supplementary question, Mr Moore.

MR MOORE: Is your Government considering issuing directions to the Director of Public Prosecutions?

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