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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 1 Hansard (14 February) . . Page.. 195 ..

MR OSBORNE: I move amendments Nos 1 and 2 circulated in my name [see schedule 3 at page ]. Mr Speaker, as I said earlier, these amendments give people an option. I can understand Ms Tucker's embarrassment in relation to this legislation because it is a poor piece of legislation that obviously was put forward a couple of years ago, and I am pleased that she has improved. Clearly she did not put much thought into it. It is a useless piece of legislation. I cannot see the sense in why we are considering it and I am trying to fix it.

MR STANHOPE (Leader of the Opposition) (9.32): Mr Speaker, I wish to indicate that the Labor Party will not be supporting Mr Osborne's amendments. I think the amendments negative the intention of Ms Tucker's bill and proposals. We support entirely the intent of the amendments that Ms Tucker proposes. As I said, Mr Osborne's amendments negative that. They do not address the fundamental issue of swearing or affirming allegiance to the Queen being irrelevant to taking and performing an office and, as a result, we will not be supporting the amendments.

MR KAINE (9.33): Mr Speaker, I will be brief. I think it goes without saying that I will be supporting Mr Osborne's amendments, even though he is not sure that he believes in them himself.

MR MOORE (Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services) (9.34): Actually, Mr Speaker, they do not negative the intention at all. They allow people like me to make an affirmation. I will have that choice. Mr Osborne, of course, will swear an oath and that will be his choice. I will choose not to recognise the Queen when I am making an affirmation after I am elected next time. These are the choices that we will make.

Amendments agreed to.

Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Coroners (Amendment) Bill 1998

Debate resumed from 10 March 1999, on motion by Ms Tucker:

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Detail stage

Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.

MR OSBORNE (9.35): I seek leave to move amendments Nos 1 and 2 circulated in my name together.

Leave granted.

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