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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 9 Hansard (7 September) . . Page.. 2965 ..

MR KAINE (11.11): Mr Speaker, I just want to say briefly that I support the government's bill. We only discussed yesterday the question of fairness and equity. The government had a different view then about what was fair and what was equitable, but this bill does seek to eliminate an anomaly. I have never been aware before that Independent members were being discriminated against in this way and it surprises me that it has taken us over 10 years to correct this anomaly. So I support what the government is attempting to do.

Like Mr Rugendyke, I do not know the intention of the Labor Party's amendments. I saw them only five minutes before the Assembly sat also. I have been through them, but I have not had an opportunity to go back to the act and see their effect . So I also wait to hear from the Labor Party what it is that they are now seeking to achieve. I would also be interested to know why it is that the Labor Party has done nothing to address these issues over all these years if they think it is so important. They had to wait until the government seeks to correct a legitimate anomaly before they suddenly decide that there are other changes that need to be made to this act.

I support the government's bill. I am not certain yet whether I am going to support the Labor Party or not because I do not know what the effects of their amendments are.

MR OSBORNE (11.12): Mr Speaker, for the record, I have some amendments being drafted to this legislation so I will adjourn the debate after the in-principle stage vote, but I do wish to speak to it before we get to that stage while the amendments are being drafted. Like Mr Rugendyke, I had the amendments thrown on my desk at about 10.20 this morning. I have not had a chance to have a good look at them. I am happy to consider them, but obviously I will need some time to do that.

I think Mr Rugendyke gave a clear account of the history of this legislation. It would appear that it has been an oversight that my office has missed and other Independents have missed over the life of this Assembly. It was only when Mr Rugendyke's staff were queried, I think by Mr Green, that the issue was brought to our attention. Mr Speaker, I have attempted during my time here to follow the rules of the Assembly in relation to disclosure. Should the Assembly decide, after having a look at Mr Stanhope's amendments, to go this far, then I imagine that all of us will attempt to follow the rules there too.

More importantly, Mr Speaker, I think this is about exposing potential conflicts of interest. It is obviously a very difficult issue that all of us face. I have ruled myself out of the issue of poker machines in the Assembly, although when you read the rules literally, as Ms Tucker continues to encourage me to do, I could vote on the issue of poker machines.

Ms Tucker: Yes, it's a cop-out, Paul.

MR OSBORNE: She claims it is a cop-out; I think it is an honest approach. Obviously, Mr Speaker, that is a call we all have to make. Obviously it is about ensuring that when we make decisions in this place we make them without undue pressure from people that we do other work for or who make donations to the party or Independents.

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