Page 5026 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 27 November 1991
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first loyalty of someone in a religious faith or with a religious view is to that faith. It is not to this Assembly. It is not to a particular person. It is to his or her basic and fundamental commitment. So, I recognise the difficulty of this situation, and I recognise that it is very difficult to know what to do and what to say.
In speaking to this Bill, I in no way want to be seen as being in some kind of self-righteous position. I assure you that I could beat my breast many times about many failures and faults in my life, and I am not trying to put forward some kind of perfect answer on this subject. I am especially aware of the health conditions that have been raised in connection with this subject and I would be the first to want to argue for an open, anonymous, available, first-class clinic and health facility for all people who are in any way involved with activities which could lead to the problems of AIDS or the problems of venereal diseases. That I think we should have. That should be open. That should be available.
On what basis should we act? I wrote directly to Archbishop Carroll and to Bishop Dowling some time ago, partly in response to letters I had received. I received back from them excellent statements, and I thank them for those statements. I do not necessarily agree with all that is said in them, but certainly much that is said I found extremely helpful. I wish that everyone could have these statements. Let me very quickly mention some of the things that Bishop Patrick Power has said on HIV, illegal drugs and prostitution - all three topics. This material was sent to me by Archbishop Carroll. Bishop Power says this:
Respect for the dignity of the human person must be the primary consideration in the matter under discussion ... Governments have a duty to protect and promote the well-being of their citizens and of the environment in which they live.
Surely we would all agree with that. I am jumping over sections to another that states:
Obviously it is not within the power of Governments to eliminate all forms of immoral behaviour but whatever steps are possible should be taken to discourage it and to reduce its impact on the community.
Bishop Power also says:
Canberra would be done a great disservice if any legislation were to appear to be condoning prostitution and encouraging its spread.
He wishes to deny it any respectability which would lead to its spread. He quotes the New South Wales Catholic Social Welfare Committee as follows:
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