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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 13 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 3810 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

committee's report and then go back to the Bill and to the amendments. If they do that I think they will have revealed to them the fact that this is nothing. It is just puffery, but we do take the scrutiny of Bills committee seriously. The report does need to be considered seriously. The Government must respond seriously, and we will consider the Government's response to these issues seriously.

MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, that the scrutiny of Bills committee has presented the report is a good thing. The quick analysis made on this side is that much of what has been raised has been addressed in the amendments, and it is a shame that the committee does not look at the amendments. Mr Moore has said there are a few points there that are worth considering, and I am sure all of us will consider this report as needs be.

I think the important thing is that the Minister for Health tells me there have been something like 16 drug overdoses in the last 18 months in Canberra. That is almost one a month. Putting this off, delaying this until February or March next year and then pushing back the implementation date another three months or so, means that we put at risk another seven lives. I think the Assembly should do the right thing and look at this quickly and constructively, and if we are in a position to pass this legislation on Thursday we should do so.

MR HIRD: Mr Speaker, I seek leave, as a member of the committee, to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

MR HIRD: Mr Speaker, after listening to the discussion about this report, the Leader of the Opposition should adjourn this matter because there is no mechanism for the scrutiny of Bills committee to analyse and look at those amendments. The amendments have not been moved. Until such time as those amendments are moved, a committee of this parliament could not legitimately look at them and analyse them. On his own submission this morning and on this report alone, the scrutiny of Bills committee should have the opportunity to analyse those amendments.

It sounds as though there are quite important amendments to very important legislation. I urge members to consider that the independent legal adviser to this committee has made some very damning arguments, and he has no axe to grind or barrow to push. When this matter comes before the house on Thursday, as I understand, I urge members, including the Leader of the Opposition, to have it adjourned and perhaps referred back to the committee so that it can analyse the amendments that are going to be moved by the members in this place.

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