Page 2782 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 21 November 1989
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members of our community. The question is not only of morals but of mental ill health caused by suppression of extreme desires generated by pornography. This suppression is necessary to conform to the moral, socially acceptable behaviour of this society. The person suppressing unwanted thoughts feels dirty and secretive and thereby loses the joy of life. Members have said that this Bill is only about money and that this tax will not - - -
Mr Whalan: I rise on a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I refer to the standing orders, specifically to standing order 58. Quite clearly, what is happening here is an absolute nonsense. We are talking about a piece of tax legislation and we have this man carrying on an hysterical conversation about hypnotherapy or something or other in such a way as to bring this whole Assembly into disrepute. I do urge you, Mr Deputy Speaker, to call the member to order.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Prowse, you were coming back to the point, so please stick to the point.
MR PROWSE: I will just take up the Deputy Chief Minister's challenge. It is obvious that, when somebody has a little bit of training in something and has some authority to speak on this issue, other than the viewing of the article, you cannot accept it. You are blustering again, Deputy Chief Minister. You always bluster when you know you are wrong.
Members have said - getting back to the point - that this Bill is only about money and this tax will not legitimise pornography. That is absolute rubbish. I ask the question: if this is so, why are the members of the porn industry supporting its introduction? It is to legitimise the Act. The money raised by this tax is sorely needed. I will admit that. We do need money. However, as the Chief Minister has said, money for the hospital refurbishment could be found from within the moneys that we have available. We are talking about $20m a year, so it is irresponsible for the Chief Minister to claim that we are going to collapse under the pressure of this lack of income. This is absolutely hysterical behaviour on behalf of the Chief Minister.
If we are going to fall because of $2m we are in a sorry state. The line must be drawn somewhere, and I believe this industry is not socially acceptable within the Australian Capital Territory. I will give an example. I have had a phone call today from Townsville. The person ringing had received in the mail, unsolicited, addressed to the householder at his address, an X-rated video catalogue which described the information that Mr Stevenson alluded to earlier with ladies in various positions of captivation, with bits and pieces hanging out all over the place. This was addressed to the household, unsolicited, and it came from Canberra.
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