Page 222 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
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MS FOLLETT: No, not so. I thank Ms Szuty for the question. I thank her also for giving me a bit of notice, which has enabled me to get a comprehensive reply together. Madam Speaker, that advertisement, "How to succeed in business without really tiring", was included in a special supplement on Canberra which was designed to introduce potential developers and investors to Canberra's benefits as a place in which to do business. The supplement, which I thought was a very valuable item, highlighted the fact that Canberra is not just a public service town. It presented a variety of aspects of Canberra, including its history and cultural base, our tourist attractions and accommodation, our rental property situation and our lifestyle. Some of Canberra's successful industry achievements were also covered in it.
So, in keeping with the theme of the supplement, the advertisement to which Ms Szuty referred focused on those aspects of Canberra which also make it an ideal place in which to do business. To date, Madam Speaker, I am advised, 23 calls have been received in response to it. Each call has been received on the telephone number provided in the advertisement. That telephone number is (06) 205 0670. Each of those calls has resulted in the information kit being sent out on the same day. I am also advised that there have been no other complaints from callers, either that they were not able to get through or that they did not receive the kit.
Madam Speaker, this telephone number serves as a hotline for a number of other Economic Development Division activities, including Canberra Business Week. I know that members opposite will be particularly interested in this: In total, 1,118 calls have been received on that hotline over the past 17 months and none of those calls has resulted in a complaint. A record is kept of all calls, and the hotline is attended in office hours - that is, between the hours of 8.30 in the morning and 5 o'clock in the evening, Monday to Friday. The staff who are responsible for that hotline are all aware of their responsibility to record calls and to respond. They have particular procedures in place.
I should mention, Madam Speaker, that I have tried to ring the hotline and I did get through. But there is perhaps a trick to it that Ms Szuty may not be aware of, and that is that it cannot be accessed on our internal dialling system; you have to ring as though you were ringing from outside, so you ring the full number, not just the extension number. I am sure that if Ms Szuty cares to try that she will be sent the information kit, and I am sure that she will find it extremely useful.
MS SZUTY: I wish to ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Could the Chief Minister then please explain why two calls on that hotline did not result in the free information kit being received?
MS FOLLETT: No, I cannot explain that, Madam Speaker. I have given all of the information of which I am aware, but I can say that if Ms Szuty would care to give those details to me I will make sure that the information is sent if it has not been sent already.
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