Page 2867 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 30 June 2010
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There was a clear understanding, following the agreement in principle, about the process going forward and it is reflected in a press release of Mr Shane Rattenbury. Mr Rattenbury referred to the government having agreed in principle to the bill. In that debate, you will recall that I gave notice that the government’s intention was to issue a discussion paper, an exposure draft. It was the government’s hope that we would, in future, after due consideration—and we are talking a couple of months—be able to debate the bills cognately.
This corrects the record in the context of the comments made just now by Mr Hanson. The government acted on Mr Rattenbury’s words and we have been acting in good faith in expectation that the Greens had agreed that they were prepared to consider two bills together. We proceeded. We invested enormous resources through a discussion paper and through the drafting of a very complex bill which we were still negotiating on. What date was this? This was on 27 May. Mr Rattenbury said following that debate:
The ACT Greens have welcomed the Government’s contribution to the debate around how to address policing drivers under the influence of drugs.
“The Greens are pleased that the Government has now issued their drug driving exposure draft,” Greens Police spokesperson, Shane Rattenbury MLA said today.
“With the Liberal bill introduced late last year we now have a set of options on the table to consider.”
“In the last sitting, the Greens gave in principle support to the Liberal bill, but adjourned the detailed stage, anticipating the Government’s consultation leading to an additional bill on the issue.”
That consultation only concluded last week. I received the submissions to that consultation last night.
Mr Hanson: They’ve made their judgement, Jon.
Mr Seselja: Our legislation is the right one.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Order, members! You have been good so far. Keep it up.
Mr Seselja: I think they just didn’t buy your credibility on this issue.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: You have been very good so far. Do not spoil it.
MR STANHOPE: The government acted in good faith on overtures, publicly expressed by the Speaker through a press release on this process. That is what we expected to happen. We believed the Greens. Silly us! We thought that Mr Rattenbury’s commitment to consider the government’s efforts after due consultation—consultation which concluded last week—meant that the Greens were interested in the consultation, they were interested in the submissions, they were interested in being able to actually consider two bills in a row. It was only Saturday
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