Page 3103 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 November 1992

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The recommendations of the Estimates Committee have proved to be particularly hard hitting, hence the squeals and the interjections from those opposite. I commend the report. I commend Ms Szuty for her very hard work and Karin Malmberg for her particularly hard work and for putting up with all of us from time to time when we complained. Again, I commend the report.

MR DE DOMENICO (9.51): Madam Speaker, I would like to start my remarks by also commending Ms Szuty, Ms Malmberg and all members of the Estimates Committee. Madam Speaker, unlike some of the people on the opposite side of the house, all of us on this side realise that estimates started on 11 August, which is a very important point.

Mr Berry: You have got a front. You were not even there.

MR DE DOMENICO: I will come back to you on that and tell you how wrong you are again. Estimates did commence on 11 August and finished not so long ago. In fact, we are debating them now. Ironically, for reasons of political expediency, members on the opposite side of the house waxed lyrical and tried to make fun of the fact that a number of members of the Liberal Party were not present at all meetings of the Estimates Committee. That is true.

Mr Connolly: Not present at all, really.

MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Connolly responds in his usual way. He might care to put his foot down and give the house the respect that it deserves. Mr Connolly is wrong. Mr Westende, I believe, was not there at all. I certainly was there at some times during the Estimates Committee hearings, Mr Connolly. I was not there when you appeared because it was not the area of my portfolio responsibility. However, let me tell you that, like Mr Westende - - -

Mr Wood: Shadow portfolio responsibility.

MR DE DOMENICO: Thank you, Mr Wood.

Mrs Carnell: It just seems like the real thing.

MR DE DOMENICO: It does. I can tell you, Mr Connolly, that, like my colleague Mr Westende, I asked some salient questions when I was there.

Mr Wood: Which were they?

MR DE DOMENICO: I will give you a copy of the questions, Mr Wood, if you are so interested. I will make sure that you get them tomorrow.

Mr Kaine: You did not have to answer any of his.

MR DE DOMENICO: No, that is right. When all of us were not there we were ably represented by Mr Cornwell, Mrs Carnell, Mr Humphries and Mr Kaine.

Mr Wood: Yes, better represented.


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