Page 4710 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 20 October 2010

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wants. It may, in fact, lead to the process being slowed down, and that would be disappointing.

In the context of the debate today, we do not need to finalise this matter. We should allow the reference group to continue its work, so my preference is to adjourn the debate today rather than to defeat Ms Le Couteur’s motion, which is, I suppose, another option available to other parties in this chamber.

I acknowledge her disappointment that she is not going to get an outcome today, but I think it is important that we enable the existing processes to continue. It is the government’s intention to seek to adjourn debate today and to resume the debate once the reference group has finished its work. That, I imagine, will be possible within this calendar year. We should give it that opportunity. This process has already started and the reference group has already met. We should enable it to complete its work, and then the government and the Assembly can make some decisions around the best way to proceed with the variations and the myriad issues that we need to address.

As I said in my speech yesterday on climate change, there is a whole range of issues that need to be tackled together. You cannot pick and choose; it cannot be a cafeteria approach where you will have that item off the menu, but because someone might object to another element and you are not sure in your own mind where you stand on the issue, you will just put that aside.

We need a total response here, and that means tackling some difficult issues. It is best to work through it in a holistic way, and that is the government’s intent. When I sit down I will ask one of my colleagues to adjourn the debate.

Motion (by Ms Gallagher) put:

That the debate be adjourned.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Debate adjourned to the next sitting.

Tourism—events and festivals

MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (12.11): I move:

That this Assembly:

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