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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-10-13 Daily Xml
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REFERENDUM (REFORM OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND SETTLEMENT OF DEADLOCKS ON LEGISLATION) BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 23 September 2009. Page 3303.)

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON (17:46): I rise briefly to indicate that the Liberal Party will be opposing this bill, as well. I stated the reasons for our opposition in my earlier speech today on the Constitution (Reform of Legislative Council and Settlement of Deadlocks on Legislation) Bill. I simply repeat, for the record, the belief that a bill of this kind should contain a provision which requires the preparation and distribution of a yes and no case.

We were informed in the second reading explanation that the government proposed to undertake such an educational campaign at a cost of $300,000 through the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. I believe that mechanism ought to be more formalised and there ought to be an independent authority charged with the responsibility for preparing the yes and no cases.

I doubt that $300,000 is an adequate amount to properly educate the community on a matter such as this. The Attorney admitted that the cost of the referendum will be $1.4 million, together with that $300,000. That is not a wise expenditure of money in the current budgetary situation, when we see a number of persons with disabilities and their families clamouring for appropriate services and the government crying poor. I do not believe that it is an appropriate expenditure of public moneys to undertake a public referendum of this kind when the result of the referendum is, I believe, almost assuredly known.

The community will not accept this nonsense. The community voted at the last election in favour of the Legislative Council and in favour of an independently-minded Legislative Council. No evidence has been produced to suggest that they would support this particular referendum. It is a waste of time and money.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. J.M. Gazzola.

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