Page 2256 - Week 07 - Thursday, 27 August 2020
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Let me again make it very clear that this government will always stand with our LGBTIQ community. This legislation is about prevention of harm. We see you and we support you and we will continue to fight inequality and prejudice against you wherever it occurs. A city where everyone is respected and valued, free from discrimination, means that we can all make the most of our potential and contribute to a thriving community. Equality benefits us all. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (3.23), in reply: I would like to thank all those who have spoken in the debate on the principle stage of this legislation. The quality of the debate and the tone in which it has been conducted is a credit to this Assembly. It is a reflection of just how far this Assembly has come on these issues of sexuality and gender matters that this debate has been, to date, free of inflammatory language and wild, inaccurate assertions. It has not always been the case when these matters have been debated in this place in the past, so I think that it is important to acknowledge that this afternoon.
The origins of this legislation date back many years. A former Minister for Health, Meegan Fitzharris, indicated in 2018 that the government would be pursuing legislation in this area, and I reinforced that last year when I made it very clear that by the end of 2020, the government would legislate in this area.
The lead-up to this bill has seen significant engagement with survivors and with the broader community, and there has been detailed engagement with faith leaders and religious school leaders. This has been stepped up in recent times since the legislation was introduced to the Assembly, and my office has engaged again with survivors and a wide variety of faith leaders and religious school leaders. Those meetings have taken place both face to face and in a virtual context, as the times demand. There has been a range of views expressed to the government on the bill. Those views have been listened to by the government and analysed. As Minister Rattenbury alluded to, I will move some amendments in the detail stage that address some concerns that have been raised about what this bill does, but, perhaps, more importantly to be very clear about what the bill does not do.
Some of the more inflammatory examples that have been raised with me and my office do not originate in organisations within the territory. We have witnessed some very misguided advertising campaigns by organisations from outside the ACT, which are seeking to influence this debate and, it would seem, seeking to influence the territory election. They are individuals and organisations with quite easily accessible pasts. Just google them and you will get a very clear understanding of where they come from, the sorts of views that they hold and just how out of touch those views are with the values of this community. That will be what it will be, though.
I need to be clear that we will address and respond to valid concerns, but we are not going to spend the coming weeks and months responding to outrageous, over-the-top and hysterical claims made by organisations who have no connection to the Australian Capital Territory. So let me be very clear on one thing—one claim that has been put forward: this bill does not legally permit under 18-year-olds to pursue radical means
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video