Page 143 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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amendments that I have seen so far actually appear on the floor, because they misunderstand the nature of this particular motion. I can understand some people having relevance deprivation when they see the words “the Stanhope government”. However, I was quite prepared to entertain an amendment which would have taken out those three words and inserted “ACT”.
I do not believe people have an understanding of what this motion is about. And I do not think the understanding will be enhanced much if those members who are in charge of the amendments continue to talk amongst themselves.
Mr Doszpot: Just trying to give you time to talk about your efforts, John.
MR HARGREAVES: I note that Mr Doszpot is to put forward an amendment, and I also note for the record that I have not been consulted, as the mover of this motion, on the contents; nor have I had a conversation with him about whether or not we could work together on it, because he has not bothered to do it.
What I want to do is to address the three elements of this motion in turn. I think it is important that at this time, after the Multicultural Festival, we should appraise our position as a community. The festival held last weekend had about 140 to 150 people actually attend.
Mr Smyth: Thousand.
Mr Barr: Thousand.
MR HARGREAVES: 140,000 to 150,000; I beg your pardon. Thank you very much, Mr Barr and Mr Smyth. Quite clearly, you were both there. Others who missed it quite clearly were not there. The record attendance at any festival is 165,000 people, so squeezing it into three days has not had a major impact on people’s involvement and celebration of things multicultural. I was absolutely taken by the number and types of people from different ethnic communities that wandered about the place enjoying and celebrating each other’s differences and uniqueness.
The key words in the first paragraph of the motion are:
… harmony and respect within the ACT community’s many different cultural, religious and ethnic communities.
It is not only about respect and harmony; it is about recognising that harmony and respect within the cultural, religious and ethnic communities. Right now, we are experiencing a bit of a challenge yet again, a bit of a threat to try to divide the religious communities in this country. I noticed that the petition that went to the federal Senate, put in by Senator Humphries, was in fact put in about 45 times by 38 different members and senators.
I expressed my disappointment that Senator Humphries put it forward because I do know of his commitment to the multicultural community here; I have paid respect to that on many occasions and will continue to do so. I think it is unfortunate that he and
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