Page 2567 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 24 August 1993
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MADAM SPEAKER: But there was no point of order then. There is a point of order here and now.
MR HUMPHRIES: All right. In that case, Madam Speaker, I withdraw, and I ask that Mr Berry also withdraw his reflection on Mrs Carnell.
Mr Berry: We will have a look at the Hansard first. What did I say?
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Berry, if you made the same accusation I will get you to withdraw it.
MR HUMPHRIES: You said that she misled the public.
Mr Berry: That is fair enough; she did. Thousands of dollars, when the average cost is $95. That is pretty misleading, in my book. I withdraw, to bring calm back to the Assembly, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you.
MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I refer Minister Connolly to his diurnal intercession on the Matthew Abraham program this morning, particularly when he advised listeners about the policy of the ACT Government concerning FOI requests by opposition members and justified the higher charges levied for opposition members as distinct from members of the general public. He said:
Well, we checked practice throughout Australia and all Governments have that policy. Mrs Carnell tries to say that we're different. In fact, we're quite the same.
Is the Minister aware that in Victoria there is a flat fee of $20 for an FOI application and that, apart from that flat fee, FOI applications are free? Is he aware that in Tasmania there is no charge for members of the Opposition using FOI requests? Is the Minister further aware that in South Australia opposition members have access to FOI for free up to the first $350 per request? Is the Minister further aware that there is no charge in Queensland for a request for personal information?
Mr De Domenico: Under Wayne Goss's Government?
MR HUMPHRIES: Under Wayne Goss. If there is a personal application there is a flat $30 fee. I ask the Minister: Does he consider that he might have misled the public of the ACT this morning on public radio, and, if so, what does he intend to do about it?
MR CONNOLLY: No, absolutely not, and I am glad that Mr Humphries asked me this question. I was prompted to ring Mr Abraham this morning as a result of Mrs Carnell's extraordinary claims that the ACT Opposition is treated harshly and unlike the practice in other States. In fact, as I said this morning, we have checked on the policy of other States and we are, in fact - - -
Mrs Carnell: I did not say that.
MR CONNOLLY: You did. You said, "We are singled out". I do not have the full transcript, but you claimed that you were hard done by. We did check, and the situation was as I said; that in most States - - -
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