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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 1 Hansard (8 December) . . Page.. 4015 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

no solution to crush a nut with a baseball bat. It is an appalling swing to the right so far as legislation is concerned. The Labor Party, thankfully, will not be supporting this. I would be surprised if at some point in the future there is not a commitment to immediately repeal this crazy legislation at the first opportunity.

MR OSBORNE (4.25): I will be brief. I was not going to enter the debate, but I was sitting upstairs listening to Mr Quinlan churn out his usual "deal" line which he has used on numerous occasions. The point that has become increasingly clear is that, when he has not got an argument, when there is no substance in what he is saying, he stands up and says, "You've done a deal". We have heard it in relation to ACTEW. We have heard it so many times in the last few months and it is becoming laughable. When I was a kid and I had arguments with people, I knew they were in trouble when they started calling me fat. Similarly, when Mr Quinlan is in trouble, he says, "You've done a deal".

Nevertheless, I am pleased because for the first time in 10 years of self-government the police are finally being looked after. The police are finally being given a fair go. It is interesting that the two members of the right from the Labor Party who supposedly get on with the police union, who have meetings with the police union, are here bagging the legislation which they asked for. This legislation has come about because of concerns raised by the police to Mr Rugendyke. We listened. We make no apologies for trying to make their job easier, for trying to make the streets safer.

Some of the boring arguments churned out by the Labor Party today and yesterday are laughable. I am pleased, as Mr Berry said, that for the second time this week some legislation has been passed which hopefully will make their job easier. I look forward to the members of the right attempting to gather support from the police union before the next election. It really comes down to actions and, quite clearly, you two have been left wanting. Mr Hargreaves says, "There's your seat over there", and Mr Berry says, "The coalition", but the reality is that, if you do not vote with the Labor Party on everything, then you are a member of the enemy.

I would have thought that a democracy was all about listening to the arguments. If we vote with the Government on more occasions, it is because your argument is pathetic. We heard it today. This legislation is designed to make the streets safer and to assist the police. I make no apologies for supporting my colleague Mr Rugendyke in the passage of the Bill.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education) (4.28): I agree with virtually everything that Mr Osborne said, but I disagree with one thing: that is, it is not the first time in 10 years of self-government that the Assembly has tried to give the police a fair go. We had a majority in the first Assembly and I managed to get move-on powers, dry areas and several other things through. Sadly, after that it was difficult - until now. It is good to see a few pieces of legislation, common sense legislation, which do just that.

I listened to Mr Stanhope and then Mr Berry. The Labor Party never ceases to amaze me. It is quite different from New South Wales, Queensland and other parts of the country in terms of law and order issues. I thought it might have changed with the injection of new blood, but sadly not. I think most members know my views about law and order and punishment. I made no bones about that in the first Assembly; I make no

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