Page 1484 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 27 September 1989
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suggest that those other parties who have any element of democracy in their make-up could not deny the people of the ACT the right to consider this.
I think, Mr Deputy Speaker, that to bully this amendment through the Assembly is a denial of democracy to the people of the ACT and a denial of their right to express their view. Some of the issues, of course, are relevant to what is largely an emotive debate - and I think the way that it has been managed displays the emotion behind it. I think these issues need to be placed before the Assembly in its consideration of a motion to refer this matter to a standing committee. I say "emotive" because I think that the statements that have been made are driven largely by emotion and have very little on-the-ground factual information that can be supported by any definitive research.
Mr Prowse: Rubbish!
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Stefaniak): Order!
Mr Whalan: Yes; call that man to order. I move that he be suspended.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Let us not go overboard. Continue, Mr Berry.
MR BERRY: I say that from both sides of the fence, because I do not think the public have had the opportunity to hear a very clear debate on the issue and I hope that this Assembly would not support a process which prevented them from doing so. Bullying this amendment through this Assembly prevents the people of the ACT from properly considering the issues and, of course, properly considering the attitudes of those political luminaries amongst us who might impose upon them certain conditions which many of the people of the ACT seem to be content to do without.
The private member's Bill to amend the Electricity and Water Act, if passed into law, may - I say "may", without getting into the issue of the pros and cons of fluoridation - have long-term deleterious effects on the dental health of future generations of Canberra children. If this were to happen without sensible and informed debate on the issues, today's children, and those who have received the advantages of fluoridation for 25 years, would never forgive us for loading them, as future parents, with the expense and worry of dental bills and the lifelong problems of reduced dental health their children might suffer.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Your time has expired, Mr Berry.
Mr Berry: Can I have an extension?
Mr Prowse: No.
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