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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (11 March) . . Page.. 829 ..

Tuesday, 11 March 2003

MR SPEAKER (Mr Berry) took the chair at 10.30 am and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

Petition

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people

The following petition was lodged for presentation by Mr Hargreaves from 143 residents.

To the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory

This petition of certain residents of the Australian Capital Territory draws to the attention of the Assembly that many laws in the Australian Capital Territory discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.

Your petitioners therefore request that the Assembly legislate to achieve equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people within the community who face discrimination in their day to day lives.

Legal Affairs-Standing Committee

Scrutiny Report No 27

MR HARGREAVES

:I present the following report:

Legal Affairs - Standing Committee (performing the duties of a Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee) - Scrutiny Report No. 27, dated 11 March 2003, together with the relevant minutes of proceedings and the confirmed minutes relating to report No 26.

I seek leave to make a brief statement.

Leave granted.

MR HARGREAVES: Scrutiny Report No 27 contains the committee's comments on three bills, 23 pieces of subordinate legislation and one government response.

I draw attention to two issues. One is a further explanation the committee received from the legal adviser with respect to the Bushfire Inquiry (Protection of Statements) Bill 2003. Argument has been advanced on both sides regarding the protection of privilege for people giving evidence to the McLeod inquiry. That is the issue to which this explanation refers.

The additional information from the legal adviser is that qualified privilege exists at common law. If an individual gives evidence to Mr McLeod that has some defamatory colour to it, it has qualified privilege, provided it is given without malice and in private.

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