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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 13 Hansard (27 November) . . Page.. 4900 ..

MS GALLAGHER (continuing):

Mr Speaker, this very simple amendment seeks to insert a note under proposed new section 49D, explaining that the general offence of manslaughter in section 15 applies to everyone, including workers. Again, this has come out of my consultations with Mrs Cross and ACT business people who were concerned that the bill did not explain the obligations of workers and that the general offence of manslaughter would apply to them. The amendment seeks to insert a note so that that is clear to everybody.

MRS CROSS (9.40): I rise to support this very hard-fought, well-negotiated amendment. The genesis of the amendment came from a second round-table meeting that I had with members of the printing industry, who employ over 800 people, a representative from the Motor Traders Association, and a couple of others. It is interesting to note that these groups employ more people than do members of the ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It is important that I highlight the point that the chamber represents fewer than 4 per cent of businesses in the ACT. It is not that those members are not important-they are-but it is important that we put things into perspective when we give credence and air time to one chief executive of one industry association who represents only a small number of businesses. It is odd that most of the emails, letters and phone calls that I have received in the last 48 hours, out of the last 12 months, have come from those members, who in fact are very good people-I have spoken to many of them-who have been panicked into an unnecessary situation.

Isn't it odd, Mr Speaker, that after the eloquent speech our Chief Minister made-I will not get to say that very often-on Ms Gallagher's bill, Mr Peters left the chamber. I wonder why. He could not stand the heat so he got out of the kitchen. He got caught out-that is the problem. He got caught out misleading his members, he got them worked up into a frenzy, and instead of him doing the job he is paid to do by the membership and lobbying all the members of this place on this bill in one way or another and looking to benefit and look out for their interests, he let them do his dirty work for him. That is the problem. And that is an abrogation of his responsibilities as a chief executive of a business association. Shame on you, Chris Peters!

I want to thank the minister, Garrett from her office, and Ms Shakespeare, who were extremely conciliatory in dealing with this issue. I am very pleased that the minister was respectful enough of businesses in the ACT-she did not have to really because she had the numbers to get this bill through-to genuinely take on their concerns. Following her offer to include this clause in the bill, those businesses made it very clear to me that they were then happy to support this bill with its two amendments.

I would like to express my gratitude to the minister because she is well aware that, to start off with, I, as a former businesswoman, had grave concerns about this bill. I think this goes some way in showing that when we are prepared to work together we can achieve good outcomes.

MR STEFANIAK (9.43): Whilst I can certainly understand Ms Gallagher's first amendment-indeed, we supported it-this one, I suppose if anything, is just a statement of the bleeding obvious. But it really brings home the nonsense of what we have done tonight because it seeks to insert a note-and I suppose that in itself is relatively

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