Page 3524 - Week 13 - Thursday, 26 November 1992

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MR BERRY: Yesterday I had the pleasure - - -

Mr Moore: I take a point of order, Madam Speaker. I think that the Leader of the Opposition was referring to standing order 118, which says:

The answer to a question without notice:

(a) shall be concise and confined to the subject matter of the question;

 ... ... ...

Concise is hardly three pages. It is absolutely ridiculous.

MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Moore, I do not believe that you can define any better than I what is and is not concise, and that is a problem. I do believe that we would get to the answer to the question a lot quicker if we did not have to entertain so many points of order. Would you please get to the answer to the question, Mr Berry?

Mr Kaine: I would like him to devote as much time to my next question instead of shrugging it off.

MR BERRY: Are you not interested in the importance of the - - -

MADAM SPEAKER: Order, please! Would you allow Mr Berry to answer the question?

MR BERRY: No, they do not want to hear the answer because it is good news. This lot - the lot of them - want only bad news. Madam Speaker, yesterday I had the pleasure, with members of the business sector and other members of this Assembly, of listening to a speech at the Convention Centre by Mr David Churches, who is heading up the Olympic bid. Mr Churches set out all of the details of the benefits to New South Wales in particular. As far as the ACT is concerned, there are significant benefits which will flow to the Territory in the form of tourism and international recognition of this region as a place in which to spend some time and to spend some money. Mr Churches set out the benefits to Sydney. There are significant benefits there. My recollection of it is - - -

Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker, under standing order 117(f). We have a discussion of a matter of public importance today and Mr Berry clearly is pre-empting that discussion. This question is out of order.

MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Moore, that was a good try, but the MPI is not on the notice paper. You may proceed, Mr Berry. Would you please answer the question?

MR BERRY: I must say that it is very difficult to get onto any issue here when you get such a range of interjections. The Olympic bid is a very important sporting bid which will affect the ACT.

When it comes to racing, Madam Speaker, today we issued a report which was commissioned by the racing Ministers across Australia in relation to the contribution of the industry to Australia. Claims regarding the size and significance of the racing industry have been made across the country. In the ACT we have about 140 full-time employees. The number of people involved


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