Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 4 Hansard (11 April) . . Page.. 1065 ..

MS TUCKER (6.18), in reply: I thank members for their support. I do not think I need to do more than to respond to Mr Corbell's comments on the mutual recognition provision. I just want to make the point that it is not the Bible-

Mr Corbell: I agree.

MS TUCKER: Mr Corbell agrees, which is good. It is about having a national will to deal with these issues. The application of any law, obviously, is something that can be changed. If the political will is there and if there is an understanding of the public good that comes from particular initiatives, it should occur. You can argue for an exemption under it anyway, as South Australia has done. As I mentioned in my introductory speech, we had such a problem with Ms Horodny's legislation on battery hens and the production of eggs. Whether an exemption is granted by the states and territories comes down to the question of public benefit. All I am doing is asking that we take a strong and supportive position to any national discussion on this issue.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Adjournment

Belconnen Blue Devils

MR STEFANIAK (6.19): I rise to wish the Belconnen Blue Devils well in their semi-final in Sydney on Sunday at Leichhardt and, secondly, to congratulate them on reaching the semi-finals this season; it is the first time that they have. After the demise of the Cosmos as Canberra's No 1 soccer team, the Belconnen Blue Devils have filled the gap very ably in the New South Wales premier league summer competition. This year they have made the semi-finals, following the very good 2-nil victory last week which took them into outright fifth place.

I will be going there with them on a bus, which will be a lot of fun, even though the game will clash with a Brumbies game. It is a very good effort to get there after being in the competition for only a short time. The under-18s narrowly missed out on the semi-finals. I wish the Belconnen Blue Devils first grade side all the very best. They are coached by Lino Fiorese, an excellent coach who has done a wonderful job with them. To Lino and the boys, all the very best, and go you Blue Devils!

Murray-Darling Basin

MRS DUNNE (6.20): Mr Speaker, I rise to speak today in recognition of the fact that the minister for the environment is at Corowa for the 100th anniversary meeting of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, marking 100 years of cooperation in the Murray-Darling Basin. It is a very important meeting about a very important issue. I would like to take the opportunity to put on the record some of the comments I made at a recent conference on the Murray-Darling Basin.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .