Page 4502 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 31 October 2018

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useful in ongoing discussions as we proceed with debate on this important area of reform.

Another issue that was very clear in all submissions, and accepted and supported by the committee, is that a change in the law alone will not bring about broad cultural and attitudinal changes in the way society views consent. It is essential that there be support for education programs, especially targeted at young people, to ensure that there is broad community understanding of consent and what society deems to be acceptable behaviour in sexual relationships.

As chair, I acknowledge and thank all committee members in working together on this important inquiry. I thank Ms Lawder and Mr Steel, who were with us at the beginning, before the committee membership changed. I thank Mr Pettersson, who had the hard job of picking up halfway through some technical issues when he joined us. And I thank Ms Cody, who, like me, was able to see this inquiry through from beginning to end.

On behalf of the committee, I thank everyone who made submissions and appeared before the committee to give evidence. Given the technical nature of the issues that were raised, the committee was very grateful for the expertise and experience of everyone who contributed to our understanding of this important issue. I also thank our committee secretary, Andrew Snedden, and the secretarial staff for their dedication and hard work in combing through hundreds of pages of Hansard to prepare this report.

I commend the report to the Assembly.

I move:

That the report be noted.

Debate (on motion by Ms Le Couteur) adjourned to the next sitting.

Leave of absence

Motion (by Mr Wall) agreed to:

That leave of absence be granted to Mr Hanson for today’s sitting for family reasons.

Breastmilk bank

MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (10.19): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes that breastfeeding is the healthiest start for infants and that breast milk:

(a) has a nutritional value uniquely matched to the needs of babies;


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