Legislative Assembly 21st October 2010 

Mr PETER DEBNAM (Vaucluse) [5.45 p.m.]: I am pleased to follow the honourable doctor because again I believe he summed up the case in his final few sentences, to which I shall return shortly. However, I presume he was mistaken in one of his comments when he said there will be only one medically supervised injecting centre in the metropolitan area. I assume he means there will be only one in New South Wales, which is what was said by the previous Labor speaker, the member for Toongabbie. If anyone wants to understand the origin of this issue, they should read the speech of the member for Toongabbie. This morning Nathan Rees set out his involvement in setting up this policy for the Labor Party.

Legislative Assembly 2nd September 2010 

Mr PETER DEBNAM (Vaucluse) [6.47 p.m.]: I am pleased to support the Adoption Amendment (Same-sex Couples) Bill (No. 2). I admit that when the member for Sydney introduced the bill I was a little uncomfortable with where the debate was heading until I researched the topic, examined the bill and considered the reality of what is happening. I now believe that the bill is very sensible and I congratulate the member for introducing it. There has been much discussion in this debate about role models. The member for Sydney is a wonderful role model for all members. She is one of the hardest working members in this place. She has also demonstrated that one can influence policy and make a difference from outside the Government as long as one is persistent and undertakes thorough research over a number of years. She has certainly done that. The objects of the bill state: 

Legislative Assembly 23rd April 2010

Legislative Assembly 25th February 2010

Mr PETER DEBNAM (Vaucluse) [6.02 p.m.]: The member for East Hills said that a bill like this has been coming for some time. The fact is that a bill like this has been coming since cars went on the road and police chased them. Indeed, this Parliament has talked about this bill for 16 years. There are members in this House—I am not sure about the Labor members, but certainly Coalition members—who were on the Staysafe committee in 1994. When I came to this Parliament 16 years ago, the Staysafe committee report was one of the first reports I took notice of. Subsequently, in April 1995, the Government changed. For 15 years we have been pleading with the Labor Party to put in place the recommendations of that Staysafe committee from 1994. So, when the member for East Hills says a bill like this has been coming for some time, yes, it has—since cars were invented. But specifically, this offence has been coming since that Staysafe committee report of 1994 and we have been calling on this Government to act since April 1995.

Legislative Assembly 25th November 2009

Mr PETER DEBNAM (Vaucluse) [4.26 p.m.]: I also am pleased to say a few words on the Industrial Relations (Commonwealth Powers) Bill 2009. I will be very brief, not only because I have been laid low with the flu for a week but because I simply want to make a couple of points.