[Greens-Media] ACT Greens Media: Senate Committee sees reason over scare mongering on Territory Rights

[Burmester, Tom]

MEDIA RELEASE
Meredith Hunter MLA, ACT Greens Leader

4 May 2011

Senate Committee sees reason over scare mongering on Territory Rights

The Leader of the ACT Greens, Meredith Hunter, says a committee report recommending the passing of Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown's Territory Rights Bill has risen above the hyperbole and scaremongering by conservative media to respect the rights of the people of the ACT.

"For too long the Territories have been relegated to second class status in the Australian democracy," Ms Hunter said.

"In response to the Bill we heard that the ACT shouldn't be trusted to make our own laws because we are too well educated. The level of Canberra bashing sunk to new lows as conservative commentators scare mongered and muddied the issue.

"The ACT greens are very pleased that the committee has listened to reason and been able to identify the real issue, which is of course whether or not residents of the ACT and the Northern Territory are entitled to the same democratic rights as those in the states; and concluding that of course we are.

"It is very disappointing that the Canberra Liberals and Senator Humphries think less of their local Members than they do of their colleagues in the states to represent their constituents.

"Evident in the dissenting report signed by Senator Humphries and the views expressed by the Canberra Liberals in their submission is that the liberal party think less of the ACT parliament than they do of every state parliament in Australia.

"I think every Canberran should ask the Liberal Party why all of their colleagues in the States are better than them and why it is that they don't want to represent Canberrans on the same basis as members of state parliaments.

"After campaigning on 'standing up' for the Territory, Mr Humphries then had the nerve to brazenly join those who would keep the Territory, and the Parliament in which he once sat, from gaining basic democratic rights," Ms Hunter said.

MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Burmester - 6205 3057, 0423 657 561 ACT Legislative Assembly GPO Box 1020, Canberra ACT 2601

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