Page 4080 - Week 13 - Thursday, 10 November 1994
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It is that sort of regulation that allows for proper business relationships to be established within a free market system, as it is called. I suppose that, if we were to accept that definition in its totality, we would say, "We will cut all regulation. There will be no regulation of business at all. It can establish where it likes. It can conduct its business how it likes. It can serve up its product how it likes. It can charge what it likes. It can create monopolistic situations as it likes". The fit will get fitter and the poor or the disadvantaged or those who are smaller will disappear. I suppose that that is the law of the jungle; but in any society, whether you accept it or not, in this country there is an acceptance that you do need a proper base of regulation within business. Even with that proper base of regulation, we still find that there is an abuse of those systems, an abuse of trust, an abuse of power, an abuse of position, and an abuse of privilege.
Mr Cornwell: Yes, but we do not talk that much about the Labor Government.
MR LAMONT: Do not start me, Mr Cornwell. What happens is that, even with regulation, we see the abuse of those positions. What do you believe would happen in this society without proper regulation?
Mr Stefaniak: There is nothing wrong with proper regulation; it is overregulation.
MR LAMONT: Is it not marvellous that we get this sort of stupid interjection? This is the same person from the same party who did not believe that we should have the retail tenancy code.
Mr Stefaniak: I think that is great, David. We need that. I am talking about overregulation. What are you doing about overregulation?
MR LAMONT: Here it is: A new regulation put in to properly administer and control the relationships that exist in that business context is okay now, but what about this new overarching piece of regulation that has been put into the ACT for the benefit of those small businesses you were talking about? The way in which the debate has been conducted this afternoon by Mr Stefaniak shows a stark amount of hypocrisy on his part. I could go on for the next 45 minutes - I am sure that Mr Stevenson would give me an extension - in relation to the cooperation that exists in promoting and assisting small business particularly to establish in national and international markets out of this region, but I will do that at another time, Mr Stevenson.
MR KAINE (4.09): I sometimes am amazed at what happens in this place. Mr Stevenson has brought before the Assembly a matter of genuine public importance. It is not something that came up yesterday or today; it is a matter that has been on the agenda literally for years. What is the Government's response? The Chief Minister stood up there for 15 minutes and told us how great everything was. If people heard only the Chief Minister's response today, they would assume that the ACT economy was thriving and everybody was doing just great. I do not know where she lives. She never goes to talk to anybody, obviously. She must not even go down to the local shopping centre
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