XN000022-1985-06-12 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1985

IT WAS ALSO MISLEADING TO ARGUE THAT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE LEGISLATING POWERS AND PRIVILEGES FOR THEMSELVES.

+WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH THE BUSINESS OF THIS COUNCIL AND SEEKING TO CODIFY FOR HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS OF THE FUTURE THE POWERS AND IMMUNITIES WE AT PRESENT ENJOY.

+WITH THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED, I AM SATISFIED THAT THEY ARE NECESSARY, INDEED ESSENTIAL, FOR THE ORDERLY, EFFECTIVE AND LAWFUL CONDUCT OF THE BUSINESS OF THIS COUNCIL, HE SAID.

A

DUNN AGREES WITH MUCH OF THE CRITICISMS

******

+THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND AS TO THE MERITS OF THE PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE BEEN EMBODIED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL, THE HON LYDIA DUNN SAID IN THE COUNCIL TODAY.

+WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THE COLONIAL ERA,+ SHE SAID

+WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS A LEGISLATURE CONSTITUTED BY

ELECTIONS ENJOYING A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY.+

:

LEGISLATORS MUST FEEL FREE TO SPEAK THEIR MINDS AND THEIR RIGHT TO DO SO SHOULD BE CLEARLY STATED IN THE LAW OF HONG KONG.

THESE PRINCIPLES WERE SOUND AND REASONABLE AND TIMELY.

+TO VOTE AGAINST THIS BILL TODAY WOULD IMPLY THAT I DID NOT ACCEPT THESE PRINCIPLES, SHE SAID,

+1 DO.

+1 SHALL VOTE IN FAVOUR OF READING THIS BILL A SECOND TIME.+

MISS DUNN SAID SHE HAD FOLLOWED THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

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+I AGREE WITH MANY OF THE CRITICISMS OF PARTICULAR ASPECTS OF THE BILL.

+BUT THIS IS NOT THE STAGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE WHEN DETAILED CHANGES IN THE WORDS OF THE BILL, TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF SOUND POINTS OF SUBSTANCE, CAN BE SETTLED.+

IN THE NEXT STAGE, THE COMMITTEE STAGE, WE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO VOTE ON THE BILL CLAUSE BY CLAUSE, ON AMENDMENTS PROPOSED, ON CLAUSES AS AMENDED AND, ULTIMATELY, IN THE THIRD READING, ON THE

M AMENDED BILL AS A WHOLE.

/+THERE IS