Page 5761 - Week 18 - Tuesday, 10 December 1991
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MS FOLLETT: Thanks to Mr Humphries. It is the fact that the people in that area needed to know that the arrangements had been changed. It is the fact that it is one of the issues that have concerned them most, and I took the view that they ought to be informed on what action the Government was taking about that.
In respect of the fridge calendars, I presume that Mr Humphries refers to a fridge calendar that advised the Belconnen residents that Calvary Hospital was offering accident and emergency care on a 24-hour basis. Again, I take the view that people needed to know that. It was a large change in the provision of services in their area, and they had to know about it. Obviously, that information was provided by way of a fridge sticker so that people would keep it to hand. We do not want them putting it out - - -
Mr Kaine: With Wayne's picture on it.
MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, Mr Kaine interjects that it has Mr Berry's picture on it. It does not. It includes the name of the Minister for Health and his contact number - something that we did not often see from any member of the previous Government - and, again, I say that that is because it is information that people have a right to know and that we, as a government, are happy to provide them with.
MR HUMPHRIES: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. The Chief Minister misses the point of my question entirely. I do not object at any stage to information about government decisions going out. The question I am asking her is about promotion of Government Ministers in the course of doing so. I ask the Minister why the Department of Urban Services could not have sent information, in the usual format, advising that this change had occurred; or why the Department of Health, or the Board of Health, could not have sent literature of this kind - not advertising Ministers' names and photographs, in some cases, and not providing for electioneering. I ask the Minister: How many times does her name need to appear on literature before it constitutes electioneering, and will she issue guidelines to stop this from happening in future?
MS FOLLETT: I do not concede that this in any way is electioneering - any more, for instance, than was Mr Kaine's picture appearing on the seniors card applications and information during the time that he was responsible for that area. I have written to party leaders concerning what provisions might apply during what I would regard as the caretaker period. I have heard from two leaders, but not from the Liberal Party leader. I look forward to hearing their views on the arrangements, which I think are very reasonable.
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