Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 11 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 3505 ..

MR WOOD: For the third time in this speech, let me ask you to come up with a bit of a table and some data to back that up.

Mr Humphries: Back what up?

MR WOOD: That it is a problem, that it is a sufficient problem to override the protection that people have by the ability to go to the courts. I want you to tell me, if you can, that it is a sufficient problem to override that protection. You did not do so in your introductory speech. You will get the chance to reply in a moment and I wait to hear it. I think, given the approach the Government is taking to Mr Munday, that I am entitled to use his name and to use the title, "The gag Mr Munday Bill". There was a Bill recently about roadside signs. I did not stand up to speak on that, but I suspect there is a complexity of issues there. I suspect also that part of that was to deal with the problems created by Mr Munday.

Mr Humphries: But you voted for it.

MR WOOD: Yes, I did, because I am very much against roadside signs, and I have told Mr Munday that. It would be interesting, if the Speaker will allow me to make an aside, to work out the cost the Department of Urban Services went to to try to do something about that. It was out of all proportion to the problem. It was only Mr Munday. They did not move Jacqui Rees's signs or the Social Democrats' signs or the Liberal Party's signs. They were fairly selective in what they did. I can trace the whole history of this and speak with justification about the real measures behind this Bill. We have to oppose it.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Community Safety and Minister Assisting the Treasurer) (5.08), in reply: Mr Speaker, I do not know what Mr Wood has been doing in the last day or so or what he has been smoking, but I have to say I found his comments about relating this Bill - - -

Mr Kaine: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Did I hear the Minister accuse the member of smoking something?

MR SPEAKER: No, I do not believe so. There is no point of order.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I do not know what strange notion has infected Mr Wood's mind that he would establish or set up this quite bizarre conspiracy theory. I can solemnly assure Mr Wood that in the preparation of this legislation, to the best of my knowledge, Mr Munday's name has never even been mentioned, much less contemplated by the people who framed the Bill or who put it forward to the house. To be quite frank with you, Mr Speaker, I very much doubt whether Mr Munday would count as a vexatious litigant.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .