Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 8 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 2482 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

recommended an inquiry into the issue of indigenous participation in government decision-making and administration and the process of reconciliation in the ACT. I propose to discuss this proposal with members of the Assembly and other interested parties within the community. I welcome debate on the issue.

I also wish, subject to the outcome of negotiations with representatives of local indigenous people, to confirm my support and that of the Labor Party for the proposal by the ACT Government to negotiate a land use agreement with representatives of the Ngunnawal people in respect of Namadgi National Park. It is important for there to be actions to back words, and my hope is that these actions will demonstrate a commitment to reconciliation. I am drawn to another comment of Kim Beazley's in the debate I referred to earlier. He said:

An incident having occurred in the gallery -

MR SPEAKER: Order! The sitting is suspended until the ringing of the bells.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, you have a little time left for your comments.

MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had almost completed my speech on reconciliation when we were interrupted in relation to another issue on which there is obviously a need for some reconciliation between the ACT Government and workers at the Canberra Hospital.

MR SPEAKER: Relevance, please, Mr Stanhope.

Mr Smyth: Linking the two is atrocious. It is atrocious to try to link that sort of puerile attitude with an issue as serious as this one.

MR STANHOPE: Mr Smyth, have you just called the nurses at the Canberra Hospital puerile?

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Stanhope, relevance, please.

MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I was concluding my speech on the reconciliation motion before the Assembly today. I was saying that it is important for there to be actions to back words. Of course, that is a sentiment that applies to other than just reconciliation. My hope is that the actions that we have talked about and are talking about here today will demonstrate a commitment to reconciliation. I was noting, Mr Speaker, that I was drawn to another comment of Kim Beazley's in the debate on reconciliation, a debate that I referred to earlier. He said:

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .