Page 1587 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 12 August 1992
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PRECEDENCE TO ASSEMBLY BUSINESS
Motion to Suspend Standing and Temporary Orders
MR WESTENDE (4.07): Madam Speaker, I move:
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent notice No. 1, Assembly business, relating to the appointment of a Select Committee on the Animal Welfare Bill 1992 being called on forthwith.
I would ask the indulgence and support of this house to agree to this request. If it is agreed to, I would like to move a motion circulated in my name. There are so many anomalies, so many definitions which lack clarity and so many amendments in this Bill that I believe that it would be best if we took note of my foreshadowed motion. We are generally in favour of animal welfare and we would like bipartisan support from this Assembly for this Bill. I believe that, if I can move my subsequent motion, some of the heat which may have been generated during the debate last night may be taken out of it. We might finish up with a Bill that is acceptable to all of us and that will benefit all members as well as all animals.
MR LAMONT (4.09): Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the proposition. I believe that the extensive debate which was conducted in this Assembly last evening and the debate which I hope will continue this afternoon will adequately address the issues that have been raised. I believe that this is a further filibuster on the part of the Liberal Party Opposition in an attempt, once again, to confuse the issues. I believe that we should give short shrift to what is none other than a deliberate tactic to frustrate the processes of this Assembly. I seek unanimous support, even from the Liberal Party, to that extent. You must admit that the debate has been extensive. While it has been vigorous, I suggest to you that it is appropriate that we continue the consideration of this Bill that we commenced last evening and that we do that this afternoon.
MR HUMPHRIES (4.10): Madam Speaker, I know that Mr Lamont has a strong interest in seeing this Bill passed, and I might say, for that matter, that the Liberal Party sees great merit in having it passed as well. We are supportive of comprehensive legislation to enforce a high standard of public and private responsibility for animal welfare in this Territory. Let me put that very clearly on the record at this point in the debate. But I do not believe, nor does my party believe, that we are serving that goal if we enact legislation which, it could be said, contains serious flaws which may in due course cause confusion and perhaps even impede the proper administration of new animal welfare rules in this Territory.
What evidence do I have to support the proposition that this Bill may contain serious flaws? I think, Madam Speaker, that a number of questions have already been raised to which full and satisfactory answers have not been supplied. There are a large number of amendments before the Assembly already on this matter, not only from the Opposition. Some serious questions, some serious issues, have been raised which I believe need to be addressed. Only yesterday the chairman or the president of the ACT Racing Club raised issues of obviously serious concern to the racing industry in the ACT which I believe we need to face up to.
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