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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (11 March) . . Page.. 876 ..
Emergency Services) (3.34): I ask for leave to move a motion to authorise publication of the Auditor-General's report.
Leave granted.
MR WOOD
: I move:That the Assembly authorises publication of the Auditor-General's Report No. 2 of 2003.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Hepatitis C-Lookback program
Mr Corbell
presented the following paper:Hepatitis C - Lookback program and financial assistance scheme - Report for the quarters ending 30 September 2002 and 31 December 2002.
Legislation (Gay, Lesbian and Transgender) Amendment Bill 2002
Reference to committee
Debate resumed.
MR STANHOPE
(Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for the Environment) (3.35): Mr Speaker, I had said essentially as much as I want to say. I think the point is that the government gave long notice of its legislative intent and its program in relation to this legislative package. We did not drop it on either the community or this Assembly by stealth; nor did we want in any way to take anybody by surprise. The program was announced well in advance and the bill was tabled on 12 December. This is the first part of the program.Everybody had ample time to consider the 37 separate legislative provisions that are being debated here today. None of them is particularly complex. There has been good community consultation through the issues paper. Mr Stefaniak himself acknowledges that he has received more representations on this subject than on anything else, except perhaps abortion, in the entire term of this Assembly.
There is no great advantage, particular advantage, or indeed any advantage at all, in referring off this legislative package to an Assembly committee. This really is just a device to delay; it is not a reflection of any determination to consult more or better or to give greater or deeper thought to any of the issues that are being considered. It is essentially a device of the Liberal Party, of the opposition, to put off to another day a subject with which they are uncomfortable, and a subject on which they do not wish to engage.
That is what this is about. It is simply putting off a subject matter which the Liberal Party do not want to talk about in any event. It is not about allowing more consultation, it is not about allowing further, better or deeper consideration of any of the issues. These are not issues that require the consideration of a standing committee.
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