Page 796 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 March 1991
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statement, "I hope that the debate will proceed on the basis of the facts". Indeed, after Mr Connolly's statements, I hope it does.
Ms Maher mentioned that she does not know how I could make the statement that the strongest gun laws will not stop criminals from obtaining weapons; that they will import them; they will steal them; they will buy them on the black market; they will have them manufactured; or they will simply look at something like this Bill and ignore it.
Mr Duby: Just like X-rated videos.
MR STEVENSON: Just like X-rated videos. The question I would ask Ms Maher - perhaps she will get a chance to answer this - is: Do you suggest that criminals will follow this Bill and not get hold of guns if they want them? The second statement was: How could I suggest that the same thing will not happen with X-rated videos? Ms Maher should be well aware of exactly the reasons why I suggest that. I presented the evidence in this Assembly again and again and again.
It is unfortunate that Ms Maher does not know that evidence, because this decision on X-rated videos is a very important one. The evidence should be known. The evidence is three major inquiries, the first in 1972 - the Lord Longford report in the United Kingdom, referred to as the Longford report; the 1986 US Attorney-General's commission on pornography, called the Meese report; and the 1988 Joint Select Committee on Video Material in Australia. Each and every one of those showed that some people are led to violence by the material contained in X-rated videos.
So, there is the evidence. If Ms Maher has any doubt about this, I suggest that she would do well, on behalf of the people in Canberra who are concerned, to find that evidence, to look at the research and to make a valid decision.
Gulf War
MR STEFANIAK (9.35): I do not intend talking about weapons, except that perhaps what I touch on now does deal with them in a roundabout way. Mr Speaker, when we last met in the Assembly there was a debate in relation to the Gulf war. I think it is appropriate at this stage to mention that in the adjournment debate. Thankfully, that war is now over. It was short; it was sharp; it was brief; and it had a very successful conclusion. That war lasted, on the ground, only about 100 hours.
As far as this Assembly is concerned, being Canberrans and being Australians, none of our serving men and women in the Gulf were killed or injured and that is, I think, something we can all be very, very thankful for. Indeed, amongst our allies, the casualties were very light.
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