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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 11 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 3456 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

It goes on to say in article 1:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Fifty years on it is important to reaffirm our commitment to those principles. They have been a rallying point, a beacon, and they have been properly respected and have given millions in the world hope, but they have also been widely ignored.

It is a shame to the world today, and to the United Nations, that atrocities quite similar to those that occurred in the Second World War continue. We have had examples. We see them every night on our television screens. That tells us that more than ever we must still defend the principles of this declaration, still defend the dignity of all people and their rights and freedoms. We should speak out loudly and strongly. This Assembly should lead our community. Some of that community will now be in Glebe Park celebrating the fiftieth anniversary. The Assembly is today acting properly in taking this action.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MR QUINLAN: I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the reporting by the Select Committee on the Territory's Superannuation Commitments.

Leave granted.

MR QUINLAN: Mr Speaker, I move:

That:

(1) if the Assembly is not sitting when the Select Committee on the Territory's Superannuation Commitments has completed its inquiry, the Committee may send its Report to the Speaker, or in the absence of the Speaker, to the Deputy Speaker who is authorised to give directions for its printing, circulation and publication; and

(2) the foregoing provisions of this resolution have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders.

The reason for this is quite self-evident. The time for the committee to report has been squeezed. The next sitting day beyond today is 2 February, when we are scheduled to debate ACTEW. If the committee can work that near miracle of having a report,

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