Robert Hart, Asst. News Editor
THE OPPOSITION last night accused Government of stifling its attempts to raise matters of national importance through private members' motions in Parliament over the past legislative year.
Derrick Smith, Leader of Opposition Business, claimed there were 35 private members' motions on the order paper in the House of Representatives, 25 of which belonged to members of the Opposition.
DISTURBING TREND
"We are very concerned about a trend, which has been a trend over the last three or so years, to ignore private members' motions put on the order paper by members of the Opposition," Mr. Smith said just before the adjournment of last night's sitting of the House. "It seems a blatant disregard for dealing with the business of the nation."
Mr. Smith even noted that a motion brought to the House as far back as 10 months ago had only just been debated and approved moments earlier.
The motion, seeking to establish a sexual offenders' registry and have a parliamentary committee review the penalties for sexual abuse, was piloted by Government member Sharon Hay-Webster. Several Government and Opposition members participated in the debate and unanimously supported the motion.
