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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 4721 ..

MS TUCKER (12.17): I had thought that was an issue, but I thought it must have been decided - because of the difficulties that people who have changed sex experience when they are actually presenting a birth certificate which would appear to be inconsistent with who they are; it is a real logistical problem for them, say, in getting a passport or whatever - that we were going to make an exception at this point. I also thought, "Sex is a biological factor which, obviously, is not quite as clear as some of us might have thought". What is the sexuality of a person? Is it something that is clearly defined by appearance or is it sometimes not totally clear? From my work in child care and hospitals, the sex of a child physically, even at birth, is not always totally clear. Maybe it is not totally clear, especially in terms of the sexual identity. Obviously, this is an area that is open to debate, and has been. My understanding was that that, therefore, made this appropriate. In fact, it is not falsifying a record; it is correcting a record. But I will listen to the arguments as well.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (12.18), in reply: Mr Speaker, some issues have been raised here. I have only just seen Mr Osborne's amendment and have only just heard the arguments he has put for accepting it. I certainly would like to discuss this issue further with my department staff and perhaps invite members to discuss the issue with them as well. In light of that, I move:

That the debate be adjourned and the resumption of the debate be made an order of the day for a later hour this day.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (12.20): Mr Speaker, I ask for leave to move a motion authorising the publication of the Board of Inquiry Report into Matters Relating to Contractual Arrangements Between ACTTAB and VITAB and Other Matters, prepared by Richard Burbidge, QC, presented earlier this day by the Chief Minister.

Leave granted.

MR HUMPHRIES: I thank members. I move:

That the Assembly authorises the publication of the Board of Inquiry Report into matters relating to contractual arrangements between ACTTAB and VITAB and other matters prepared by Richard Burbidge, QC.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

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