Page 2781 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 21 November 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
In order to make needed improvements to services provided by the ACT Government and to assist the ACT to become fully self-financing, the ALP has identified some revenue initiatives. The measures are primarily in the form of base broadening -
I assume, Mr Speaker, we are talking there about broadening the existing base, payroll tax, et cetera -
and are designed to make revenue raising both more efficient and more equitable.
I really do not think we can draw any suggestion from that particular policy that an X-rated video tax is a policy of the ACT Government. So what does that leave us with as a reason for this new tax? Maybe Mr Berry has inadvertently hit upon the problem, which is the degree to which the industry will provide large amounts of money to the ACT Treasury. What this ensures is that the industry will be able to argue very strongly for its retention, saying, "Don't hurt us; look at all the money we are providing to you. Look at what we are doing for the ACT". Therefore people in the industry are going to say, "Don't hurt us, don't put us out of business, or you will lose all our $5m".
It may be, Mr Speaker, that this new policy that seems to have come out of nowhere is to ensure that an industry which is banned in every State except the Northern Territory will have a permanent home in the ACT. One may be so bold as to suggest that this is the real reason behind this tax Bill tonight. My colleague Mr Humphries has already alluded to this reason. I must admit that it finds some favour with me. That is the reason why I am joining with my colleagues on what is a conscience vote for Rally members in voting against these Bills tonight.
MR PROWSE (9.52): I have been lobbied by people from Townsville to Tasmania and from Penrith to Perth on this issue. Now is the time to show some leadership for our community. I believe that the raising of income from pornography is inappropriate and unacceptable for the ACT as Australia's capital. This Bill offends the sensitivity and sensibility of not only the people of the ACT but people throughout Australia. Canberra is the Australian capital. We need to stand above the rest.
I will not debate at length the pros and cons of the moral issue of pornography at this time. However, to some members of this Assembly, pornography viewed in one's home by adults is harmless. I advise members that I have been trained and have subsequently practised as a clinical hypnotherapist. I became a member of the ASCH, the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapy, by examination and acceptance into that society. Part of this training and practice includes sex therapy. Pornography in visual, written and verbal form does have long-lasting, serious to devastating effects on the mental well-being of numerous
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .