Page 4033 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 22 October 1991
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MS MAHER (4.26): I would just like to put some history on why I asked this question. The children's day care services area is a very important area to me and the licensing function is a very important function. The licensing function area looks after over 200 child-care facilities in the ACT which are required by law to be licensed. I feel that the area provides a very important service to the community, especially - - -
Ms Follett: I take a point of order, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. This is not relevant.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mrs Grassby): Relevance, Ms Maher.
MS MAHER: Okay. The reason I asked the question was basically that before the Estimates Committee had begun questioning Mr Connolly - and unfortunately I was not there at the time the questioning was being done - I had been told that two positions were going from this particular area; that in fact the position numbers had been relinquished; that the two staff involved had been basically told that they were redundant and - - -
Mr Berry: I take a point of order. What Ms Maher has been told or not told is irrelevant.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ms Maher, the motion is to censure the Minister for misleading the house.
MS MAHER: On the information.
Mr Duby: You are explaining why you are supporting the censure motion.
MS MAHER: All right, I am explaining why I feel Mr Connolly has misled the house.
Mr Berry: Ms Maher's feelings on the matter are irrelevant as well.
Ms Follett: She was not even there.
MS MAHER: I read Hansard. That is why I asked the questions in the house, to further clarify and try to get a straight answer, which I was expecting; so that Mr Connolly could say that he had made a mistake; that there were two positions going, that the two positions had been relinquished and that the staff had been informed that they were basically redundant and were being found other positions within the public service. That is why I was asking the question.
Mr Connolly just cannot give a straight answer. That is what I find so disappointing about this house. The people in it, especially the Ministers who are answering questions, cannot give straight answers.
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