Page 1692 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 30 April 1991
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There is no evidence that the costs and benefits have been weighed up by this Government. Further, it says:
There are clearly some arrangements where ACT participation is inappropriate -
yet off the Ministers trundle.
Mr Connolly: First class.
MR BERRY: That is right. It continues:
while in others the ACT could align itself with positions taken by other States. It could not be expected that the ACT would make a major contribution to inter-governmental research and development initiatives.
The recommendation is as follows:
The extent of ACT participation in inter-governmental forums be assessed carefully in relation to cost, benefit and priorities.
It is an outrage that the people of the ACT should be subjected to the speeches which we have just heard from the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister about the propriety of attending these sorts of - and I use the term again - junkets when it has been quite clearly demonstrated that the entire use of public funds in this area needs to be assessed. I urge the Chief Minister to take that on board and examine the matter.
MR KAINE (Chief Minister) (8.37): As is so often the case, Mr Berry's comments are quite scandalous.
Mr Berry: Read it.
MR KAINE: You automatically proceed from the assumption that the Government does not do the kind of analysis that you are talking about. Of course, that simply is not true. And it proceeds from the assumption that all Ministers go to all ministerial council meetings that are held. That is not true either. The bottom line of what you are suggesting is that members of this Executive are totally irresponsible when it comes to public money. I think that we can prove that we are far more responsible than you were when you were in government. We have taken a very responsible approach - - -
Mr Connolly: Would you have a look at the travel budget.
Mr Collaery: I never got public funds to watch the Raiders in Sydney like your leader did.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Collaery!
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