Page 2438 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 1991
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AIDEX
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MR SPEAKER: I have received letters from Mr Stefaniak, Mr Humphries, Mr Kaine and Mrs Nolan, all proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79 I have determined that the matter proposed by Mr Stefaniak be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The enormous damage done to Canberra's standing as a national and international conference and exhibition venue by the Follett Labor Government's attitude to AIDEX.
MR STEFANIAK (8.01): Mr Speaker, indeed it is jackpot time for the Liberal Party, although we seem to have all the marbles in this particular raffle.
Mr Collaery: Was that "jackboot"?
MR STEFANIAK: "Jackpot", Bernard. Frivolity aside, this is a quite serious topic, and I think it is made more so by the direction which Mr Connolly has now handed out. He directs that the National Exhibition Centre Trust:
... adopt a policy of not allowing the ... Centre to be used after 1 December 1991 as a site for the conduct of exhibitions, or similar events, where the sole or primary purpose of the exhibition or event is the displaying, whether for sale or otherwise -
and he might like to look at that -
of arms, armaments, munitions and other equipment used for military purposes.
I think that by using the words "or otherwise" he might preclude even military tattoos, which I hope even the Labor Party would not particularly want to preclude; I hope its ideology does not go that far.
Mr Kaine: I would not bet on it.
MR STEFANIAK: Yes, indeed; one wonders. In times of economic hardship the Government is totally wrong in making it difficult for anybody to exhibit products in Canberra. I will speak briefly tonight in relation to the economic and moral stupidity of what they have done, and perhaps even the moral wrongness of what they have done. I think on all scores they are really missing the point.
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