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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1985
+AT THE END OF THE DEBATE WE SHALL VOTE ON THE SECOND READING 1.E. ON THE PRINCIPLE AND GENERAL MERITS OF THIS BILL WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS SUBJECTED TO THE AMENDMENTS REFLECTING THE POINTS THAT WE HAD MADE IN THIS COUNCIL, SHE ADDED.
SHE SAID SHE BELIEVED A NEW VERSION OF THIS BILL WOULD BE GAZETTED IN TWO DAYS' TIME AND THE AD HOC GROUP WOULD SCRUTINISE IT AND THE PUBLIC WOULD NO DOUBT DO THE SAME.
MISS TAM THEN REFERRED IN PARTICULAR TO THREE POINTS OF CRITICISM, THE FIRST BEING THAT THE EXISTING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS HÁVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THIS BILL AND THEREFORE IT SHOULD BE DEFERRED UNTIL IT IS DEBATED BY THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WITH ITS ELECTED MEMBERS+.
SHE SAID: +1 HOPE THIS IS NOT BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT APPOINTED MEMBERS ARE MORE PRONE TO SERVE THEIR OWN INTEREST THAN ELECTED MEMBERS.+
+THE CONDUCT OF EVERY LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR ELECTED OR APPOINTED MUST BE AND IS INDEED SUBJECT TO THE PUBLIC'S SCRUTINY.
+ IT IS WITHIN OUR ANTICIPATION TO WORK ON A CODE OF CONDUCT FOLLOWING THE ULTIMATE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL AND POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO THE STANDING ORDERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,+ SHE SAID.
AS TO THE SUGGESTION THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO RESTRICTION ON REPORTING ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLOSED DOOR MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL OR COMMITTEE AND THAT THE PRESS MUST JUDGE WHETHER THE REPORTING ON SUCH PROCEEDINGS IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, MISS TAM SAID SHE COULD SEE THE CONCERN OF THE PRESS AND MEDIA ON SUCH RESTRICTIONS AND AGREED THAT CLAUSE 20, AND IN PARTICULAR CLAUSE 20(C), SHOULD BE DELETED.
+BUT I BELJEVE THAT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO SAFEGUARD THE INTEREST OF A WITNESS WHO GIVES EVIDENCE IN CAMERA, OR THE DISCLOSURE OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION GIVEN BEFORE A COMMITTEE, SHE SAID.
IT WOULD BE WISE TO ADOPT THE PRACTICE IN THE COURTS ON PROCEEDINGS IN CAMERA, AND RESTRICTIONS ON REPORT ON EVIDENCE HEARD IN CAMERA, A PRACTICE WITH WHICH THE HONG KONG PRESS AND MEDIA WERE WELL FAMILIAR, SHE ADDED.
SHE SAID SHE ALSO BELIEVED THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF ANY COMMITTEE OR THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL MUST EXERCISE HIS JUDGMENT ON HOW TO PROTECT PUBLIC INTEREST, WITHOUT ABDICATING SUCH A RESPONSIBILITY AND LEAVING IT TO THE PRESS.
/ON THE
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