Chief Minister Jon Stanhope today strongly rejected a call by the Liberal Opposition for the Federal Government to intervene in legislative affairs of the ACT.
Mr Stanhope was commenting on a move by the Liberal Shadow Attorney General to write to the Federal Attorney General, Phillip Ruddock, expressing concerns regarding the compatibility of the recently passed Parentage Bill with the Family Law Act and the Constitution.
“I am staggered that the Shadow Attorney General and a fellow Member of the Legislative Assembly would seek to have the Federal Government intervene in the legitimate affairs of the ACT.
“Mr Stefaniak’s so-called concerns are completely unfounded and were not raised by him through the scrutiny of bills process in the Assembly.
“I can only conclude that the local and federal Liberals are colluding in an attempt to overturn legislation passed by the democratically elected representatives of the people of the ACT.
“Any attempt by the Federal Government to intervene in our affairs is a threat to democracy and I advised the Prime Minister and his colleagues to stay out of ACT politics,” said Mr Stanhope.
The Chief Minister said the move by Mr Stefaniak followed earlier indications that the Federal Government was reviewing the legislation.
“Mr Howard wrote to me in November 2003 expressing ‘a range of concerns’ about the ACT human rights bill and the anti-discrimination legislation.
“In relation to the anti-discrimination legislation, he indicated that he thought the prepose of the changes was to reduce the status of marriage. He stated that he ‘strongly disagreed’ with the approach and felt it was ‘out of step’ with the views of the great majority of Australians.
“Mr Howard then said that his Government would ‘first consider our package of legislation’ and then refer it to the Federal Attorney General and the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads.
“This was in reality a very thinly veiled threat to use the Commonwealth’s powers to interfere in the affairs of the Territory.
“I subsequently reassured the Prime Minister that our legislation removes legislative discrimination and in no way alters the status of marriage.
“I call upon the Prime Minister and his conservative colleagues to refrain from using the Commonwealth’s powers to override the will of the people of the ACT and the legitimate decisions and Acts of the ACT Legislative Assembly.
“To reject – or indeed trample over – the wishes and views of the ACT voters and legislators would be an outrageous act that would completely overturn all the tenets of democracy we hold dear in this nation.
“The Prime Minister and his colleagues should stay out of the legitimate affairs of the ACT and respect our laws and the wishes of our community,” said Mr Stanhope.
Statement Ends
Media Contact: Penny Farnsworth 6205 0434 0417 481
407 penny.farnsworth@act.gov.au
Long bow. To the extent the cw would intervene to overturn leg in the ACT which we have passed. Exercise of ACT leg power for people of ACT.
I havene’t suggested or threatened it. I wd have to consider the positionof my govt. If cw says you have self govt but override something as funda ans moves by this dem elect parliament to remove discrim laws – nothing to do with cw power and within self-govt power.
Should I just roll over or seek to resist. Cd l;ead to constoituti impasse with both sides to giving an inch
Can’t believe cw wd be so foolish to move just because the PM does not like it (but that’ what happened with NT euthanasia0
Entirel;y theoretical. I can’t believe the feds wd intervene.