Page 1852 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 June 1993
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appointment commence? Have you turned your minds to that? In practice you would have to date an appointment to take effect well in advance to cater for the possibility that an instrument may be disallowed in the Assembly. This, Madam Speaker, is a totally unnecessary fettering of executive powers, for no appreciable benefit.
The Bill provides for the appointment of a chief executive officer in consultation with the board. If this appointment were subject to a disallowable instrument no people of a high calibre would apply for this prestigious position. We have just been through this process with the Board of Health. High calibre people resigned from the Board of Health because of the political interference by the Liberals. If we put in place procedures which invite the Liberals to attack appointees, what can we expect? I know what we can expect - more interference, which would mean that these processes would become unmanageable.
Members opposite do not care about it in opposition. How could the alternative government - they see themselves as the alternative - take this position? You do not seem to understand what you are doing.
Ms Follett: They do not expect ever to be in government. It is easy.
MR BERRY: That is probably right. All they ever expect to do is to be on the negative side, bowling people over. Similarly, board members need to be appointed on the basis of merit and ability to contribute to the operations of ACTTAB. Such appointments would not be assisted by the lengthy administrative process proposed by the amendments.
These processes would discourage high calibre people from putting their names forward. That is the real problem. We know the tomfoolery of Mr De Domenico. He sledges individuals outside of this Assembly. We just heard him do it in the course of the debate. What would you do in relation to appointments to boards if they did not suit you? How could we attract anybody with expertise to these sorts of positions, bearing in mind the way you behave?
This proposal, Madam Speaker, is inconsistent with the appointment processes for other statutory bodies. It would also create an unacceptable degree of uncertainty for the TAB. I have said before, and I will say it again, that it is most important that the TAB be provided with stability. If we put this sort of a process in place we will ensure that instability is inherent in the appointments. We would be throwing the ball into the court of the Liberals opposite so that they could play fun and games with appointments. They would knock people off. They would take no responsibility for the selection of people who had appropriate qualifications and experience. All they want to do is to be able to bowl people over.
Mrs Carnell: We will put names forward.
MR BERRY: Your proposal does not say that you will put names forward; it says that you will knock people off. It is irresponsible for this so-called alternative government to propose these amendments. Quite obviously, it does not see itself as a real alternative. Mrs Carnell ought to watch out, because I see that Mr De Domenico is on top in the letter. I think these amendments blow the Liberals' credibility and show very clearly how little the Liberals understand the
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