Page 1833 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 June 1993
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So we have the perfect enterprise bargain. The staff say that it is okay; the employer says that it is okay. The only two people who happen to disagree with this are the two shareholders, namely, Ms Follett and Mr Berry. Everybody else is happy. But blow that; don't you worry about that. Just because everybody is happy, it does not mean that we have to agree with you.
I could go on and on. There is morale and the public perception of the thing. Morale in the ACTTAB is very low. Wastage is another thing. We have spent a lot of money to make it into a corporation. We spend more money now to take it back into the dark ages. Why? Because of some ideological bent of Mr Berry's. Madam Speaker, the Liberal Party will not be supporting this piece of legislation. It is not good legislation. It is not needed. Every resident of the ACT, whether interested in racing and gambling or not, Madam Speaker, has an interest in the efficient running of the ACTTAB. It must be in a position to respond quickly to competition. It can do this far more effectively as a corporation than under the dead hand of ministerial control and public service procedures.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (9.38), in reply: Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to talk on this issue. Mr De Domenico said this on 25 February, among other things:
That is, ACTTAB should remain as a Territory owned corporation which it is now, or, better still, as recommended by the professional advice sought by her Under Treasurer, she should accept the advice and privatise it.
Mr De Domenico was not the only one who was thinking about that, it appears. This Government wants to make it very clear to the community out there that ACTTAB is not for sale. It is not for sale, and the Government's actions are about making sure that the punters' interests are secured. There was not one expression of interest about the punters' interests by Mr De Domenico. We are making sure that the community's interests are secured and, of course, that the racing industry's interests are secured. That cannot be done, Madam Speaker, by selling 50 per cent of it, as was proposed, or, as was proposed by Mr De Domenico, selling all of it.
Mr De Domenico: I take a point of order, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: Yes, Mr De Domenico?
MR BERRY: Not a point of order, I do not think, young fellow. You might as well sit down.
Mr De Domenico: Madam Speaker, I am assuming that you are still the Speaker and that Mr Berry does not respond to points of order. Madam Speaker, Mr Berry suggested that I said, "Sell all of it". I do not believe that I said that, Madam Speaker, and I ask Mr Berry to - - -
MR BERRY: Madam Speaker, I quote from Hansard, page 524:
... she should accept the advice and privatise it.
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