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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 7 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2433 ..
MRS CROSS (continuing):
It would be wonderful if we as legislators could look at a situation where the anti-smoking legislation was totally irrelevant. We could sit back and smile, knowing that the education programs in the community and carried on through the school system have been effective, and people would be responsible and not smoke. It is rare that we find Utopian solutions in the political sphere.
Unfortunately, humans tend to be a little contrary on occasions, or even more often than that, and look for mind-altering drugs. Whether it is manufactured cigarettes or in the Australian desert where hand-made spinifex rollies suffice, people do look for something. Hence we as legislators will always have responsibility for taking tough decisions which will have an overall positive effect on community health. Tough decisions are rarely the black-and-white, just-say-no, solutions. The tough decisions are those that find ways to discourage, to provide disincentives, to make harming health awkward and that encourage people to look for alternatives that are healthier and more rewarding than their harmful practices.
The bill that I am tabling today will form a good base from which to work towards smoke-free enclosed public places. I do hope that the government will recognise the long-term work that has gone into this piece of legislation and will be happy to work in a cooperative manner to further the overall health outcomes for the Canberra population.
I would like to thank John Clifford and Sandra Georges from Parliamentary Counsel who prepared this bill and assisted me and my staff during these past few months in its development.
Members, I commend this bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Corbell) adjourned to the next sitting.
Corrections Reform Amendment Bill 2003
Mr Smyth,
pursuant to notice, presented the bill and its explanatory statement.Title read by acting clerk.
MR SMYTH
(Leader of the Opposition) (10.41): I move:That this bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Speaker, our corrections system, unfortunately, deals with many hundreds of Canberra citizens every year. They have been sentenced by our courts for a very wide range of offences under our laws.
Mr Stanhope
: You'll be bringing Osborne back next.Mr Quinlan
: And Dave. Don't forget Dave.Mr Stanhope
: Yes, Dave.
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