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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 01 Hansard (Thursday, 12 February 2004) . . Page.. 284 ..

contributing their ideas. It is so obvious and really disappointing that there has been a great political reluctance to do anything to move this issue anywhere. You can shake your heads and you can smile. At least you could have had a go.

My colleague, Mr Cornwell, said that there are other options open to this committee. The South Australian—

Mrs Cross: So did I.

MRS BURKE: Well, probably you did but I did not need the reprimand that you gave at the beginning of your speech.

Mr Quinlan: Why don’t you two go off and do it?

Mrs Cross: I said it in my speech. You should have listened.

MRS BURKE: Why didn’t you do something?

Mrs Cross: You should have listened.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mrs Cross, Mr Quinlan; these interjections will cease. Mrs Burke, direct your comments through the chair.

MRS BURKE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mrs Cross has mentioned that I should be doing the work. I have done a lot of work. I just put the motion forward and asked people for their suggestions. I think that is just a furphy. I am open to any member contributing their ideas. As I said, there has been great political reluctance to do so, and that is disappointing. It is disappointing for the stakeholders out there, for the men of this city, for the men’s groups that are out there representing fathers. You are not getting at me; you won’t get at me. You are getting at the fathers and their associated groups in this city.

I thank Mr Cornwell for his concluding comments from this side of the house. I thank him for the idea of an interim report. Why couldn’t the committee consider that? I am open to that great idea. Mr Cornwell alluded to the elder abuse report. I might consider the select committee idea. I am not going to let this matter go. I think the South Australian inquiry took about four months, so I do not think the inquiry that I am proposing is out of order. I urge members to please, as a matter of conscience—there is a lot of talk about that in this place—reconsider the way they are going to vote on my motion and not to turn it down out of hand.

Question put:

That the motion (Mrs Burke’s) be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

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