Page 4132 - Week 09 - Thursday, 26 August 2010

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MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (7.18), by leave: I thank members of this place for the spirit in which this debate has been conducted, especially at the end of what has been a somewhat rancorous week. I think this has been a very professional afternoon’s work, and work that is well done.

I want to place it on the record that the Canberra Liberals still have serious reservations about the operation of this legislation. We have serious reservations about the impact of those bits which are uncompleted and unseen. I think it is unreasonable for the minister to imply that there are things in there that we do not support. There are elements of this that we do support. We just do not believe that it goes far enough and that the emphasis in particular places is correct. There is nothing else for us to do but to state our objections, which are valid and well thought through, in the only way that is available to us.

This is part of a reform. It is a disappointing reform because I do not think it has delivered all that was promised. When you consider the lengthy time that this has been in gestation, I would have expected more. I think that the people of the ACT, the people involved in the industry and those involved in ACT Policing expected more than has been delivered. That is the basis on which the opposition does not give its support to this matter today. I know that I will be verballed and the opposition will be verballed, and it is with reluctance that we do this.

It should be noted that this has been a debate conducted in good spirit, as have all the discussions. I also pay compliments to the officials. I give particular thanks to the members of the industry who have dealt in a very open way with, I understand, all members of the Assembly in relation to this. They have been candid, frank and helpful.

I do not often do this, but I want to pay particular thanks to my senior adviser, Clinton White, who has really laboured over this. This is an extraordinarily complex piece of legislation. When it boils down to it, it is just Clinton and me—there are only the two of us. We do not have a great bevy of advisers behind us. It has been an extraordinary amount of work, especially for Clinton. It is appropriate to pay tribute to him on this occasion. I particularly thank the drafters as well. As always, they did an extraordinarily good job. They are very helpful in making sure that what we ask them to do actually comes to fruition. I would like to compliment members on the spirit in which this has been conducted.

Question put:

That the bill, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

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