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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (19 February) . . Page.. 263 ..

Question resolved in the negative.

Amendment negatived.

Question put:

That Mr Wood's amendment to Ms Tucker's motion be agreed to.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Amendment agreed to.

MR SMYTH (Leader of the Opposition) (11.02): Mr Speaker, I would like to move the amendment circulated in my name.

MR ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Members, I am advised that the difficulty with the motion is a problem with the English. However, in the interests of the spirit of the debate, we will allow the motion to go forward because I believe the intent is pretty clear in the motion. While it is being duplicated, Mr Smyth, would you like to address the motion?

MR SMYTH: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to move my amendment.

Leave granted.

I move:

Omit all words after "Assembly", substitute:

"notes that:

Iraq's weapons of mass destruction pose a real threat to global peace and are a threat to our national and regional interest;

Saddam Hussein's record demonstrates that Iraq will only take notice if UN diplomacy is backed by the presence of military strength;

Australia's military deployment in the Middle East serves to strengthen the UN position; and

failure on the part of the Security Council to assert its authority will harm the UN and play into the hands of Saddam Hussein, thereby making it more likely that terrorists will obtain and use weapons of mass destruction sourced from Iraq; and

calls on the Australian Government to:

continue to support the efforts of the United Nations to disarm Saddam Hussein; and

maintain a military presence in the Middle East to increase the pressure on Iraq to (i) improve its cooperation with UN weapons inspectors and (ii) increase the likelihood of achieving enduring peace and stability with diplomatic means.".

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