Page 5837 - Week 18 - Tuesday, 10 December 1991
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Mr Stevenson: I raise a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, all right. You do not like the word "devious". That is probably unparliamentary. I will have a look.
No, that is quite all right. Continue, Mr Duby.
MR DUBY: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. You are being devious, Mr Stevenson, because these figures have been explained to you.
Mr Stevenson: I take a point of order. I did not hear the ruling, Mr Deputy Speaker.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: I said that it is quite all right. "Devious" is quite all right. Continue, Mr Duby.
MR DUBY: Mr Stevenson, these figures have been explained to you in the past and you are continuing to compare an employee contributory scheme, with contributions that are matched by an employer, with something that someone can buy in the private marketplace, which is a totally different scheme. What we are talking about here is an employee superannuation scheme. You are aware of that and you know it. Nevertheless, I can see what is going to happen. You have decided that somehow there are some votes in this that you might well be able to drum up with an unwilling public.
Mr Stevenson: That is a devious comment, Mr Duby.
MR DUBY: It certainly is, and it is an accurate one too, because that is what we are seeing here tonight. You know the facts and you are deliberately choosing to misrepresent them. I, for one, do not like it. The fact is that superannuation is the right of every employee and it should be the right of every employee in Australia; not just people who are public servants, not just people who happen to be lucky enough to work for a bank or one of these large firms that provide those sorts of benefits.
The days when people would apply for jobs and part of the additional bonuses for the job was company superannuation provided are long gone, and hopefully the day will come when every employee in Australia will have a superannuation scheme to protect them and their families' independence, whatever the future might hold. For you to somehow make out that this is inappropriate and grasping, which is what you are doing, is again, I repeat, devious; but, then again, I guess it is typical of what we have come to expect.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (9.23): I would like to thank members for their comments on the Bill that is before us. Mr Deputy Speaker, I think it is important to note that in looking at this Bill the Government, and I am sure all members, were aware of the need to contain the cost to the ACT taxpayer as well as providing a reasonable benefit to members of the Assembly. It is on that question
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