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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (17 February) . . Page.. 264 ..
MR HUMPHRIES: Very occasionally, Mr Speaker, on the basis of representations made to me, I will request the DPP to consider an appeal. I have not seen the details of the matter Mr Rugendyke is referring to. I will undertake to examine the matter and, if it is appropriate, to recommend to the DPP that he consider launching an appeal.
MR BERRY: My question is to the Attorney-General and it is in relation to grants made under the Legal Practitioners Act. By way of background, Mr Speaker, I refer to section 128 of the Legal Practitioners Act. Amongst other things, subsection 128 (4) of the Act says, "The Law Society may, with the consent in writing of the Attorney-General given either generally or in a particular case, use moneys standing to the credit of a Statutory Interest Account" for a range of purposes. I understand that last year, and possibly in earlier years, the Women's Legal Centre was given grants by this means. Mr Speaker, the Women's Legal Centre is the organisation that collaborated with others in the community to oppose the actions of the Attorney-General, in particular, and others generally in this place to wind back a woman's right to choose. In particular, the Women's Legal Centre mounted a campaign against the Attorney-General's move to force pictures on women who might be considering an abortion. The Women's Legal Centre, among others, was also part of a group of people in the community who were working hard to extend the right of a woman to choose an abortion if they so desired, and it was also part of a campaign which exposed the ineptitude of this Minister on the pictures issue. Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the Attorney-General why he refused a grant of $48,000 to the Women's Legal Centre, under section 128 of the Legal Practitioners Act. Why did he block that proposed grant which was put forward by the Law Society along the usual lines that they put forward grants for consideration by the Attorney-General? Attorney, why did you block that grant?
MR SPEAKER: Apart from the inferences and imputations, which I suggest you ignore, Mr Attorney - - -
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, Mr Speaker, I am happy to do that. I am used to Mr Berry muckraking. That is his modus operandi. That is fine. Mr Speaker, I have not refused outright a grant to the Women's Legal Centre. I have indicated to the Law Society that I am not prepared at this stage to approve a grant to the Women's Legal Centre because on the advice of my department - I stress again, on the advice of my department - the grants being sought to be made from the statutory interest account of the Law Society did not adequately reflect the requirements that the recipients be in the business of providing legal aid or services in the nature of legal aid to the broader community. Recommendations were made to me - - -
Mr Berry: Who are you kidding? Women's Legal Centre.
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