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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 6 Hansard (1 September) . . Page.. 1670 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

the arrangements in New South Wales because it will be easier for them administratively and they will win the business of that company which is now imposing a higher burden on unit policyholders - on people in unit plans who happen to have an insurance policy. They will almost certainly do that.

Mr Speaker, it is not hard to realise why the state of affairs which has been suggested by Mr Kaine will not take place and, if it did, it would be quickly undercut by other insurance companies imposing a different regime, putting together a different policy that would, no doubt, attract that first company's policyholders away from it. I can only urge members to not accept a recommendation which has been drafted, with respect, by one member - it has not gone through Parliamentary Counsel - which has come up today based on a misapprehension about the legislation, and which could do considerable damage to the structure of the Bill as it now stands.

MR KAINE (5.02): Mr Speaker, I am not persuaded by the Minister's argument, firstly, that we should not amend a Bill simply because it upsets the nicety of his structure that he sees for it or, secondly, that we should not amend it because it might put us out of kilter with the State of New South Wales. If putting us out of kilter with the State of New South Wales eliminates discrimination from a Bill, I would do it every time. I am not convinced by Mr Humphries's arguments as to why we should not make any amendments to this Bill. That would apply to any amendment that we chose to make to it. However, I am prepared, Mr Speaker, in order to allow the Government to achieve its aim of getting the Bill through today, even though I do not agree with it - I presume they will get it through - to consult further and put my amendment forward as a private members Bill at some time in the future if I think it is warranted. I am prepared to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

MR SPEAKER: Is it the wish of the Assembly to debate this order of the day concurrently with the Government's response to the report of the Select Committee on Estimates 1998-99 on the Appropriation Bill 1998-99? There being no objection, that course will be followed. I remind members that in debating order of the day No. 3, Executive business, they may also address their remarks to order of the day, Assembly business, relating to the Government's response to the report of the Select Committee on Estimates 1998-99 on the Appropriation Bill 1998-99.

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