Page 3564 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 19 October 1993
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MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, the question is in my province and I am happy to answer Mr Humphries. It is the case that there are vacancies on those boards as a result of the ACT not having nominated representatives. Madam Speaker, there is a clause in the Australian National University legislation which specifically excludes the nomination by the ACT of members of this Assembly to that board. I have long taken the view that that was a quite inappropriate clause in the legislation. I took that matter up with the Federal Minister, Madam Speaker, and, in the not too distant past, I had a response from him which, in effect, denied my request that that clause be removed from the ANU's legislation. We do have a situation now where, I presume, we can go ahead with nominations to all of those boards, with the anomalous position in regard to the ANU that I am not permitted, by virtue of their legislation, to nominate any member of this Assembly to that board. I have taken that on board from the Federal Minister and I am considering suitable nominees for all three boards. The nominations will be made in due course.
I would have to say, to answer the other part of Mr Humphries's question, that the lack of this representation has had no effect whatsoever as far as I can see. It appears to me that none of those institutions has crumbled and, in fact, all continue to thrive and prosper.
Mr De Domenico: Why put anyone on at all?
MS FOLLETT: By way of interjection, Mr De Domenico asks, "Why put anybody on at all?". Madam Speaker, I think that, by his very interjection, he has indicated that he does not regard this as a matter of urgency. The nominations will be made in due course. In looking at possible nominations, I do still think it is extremely regrettable that we are not able to nominate MLAs to the ANU board. That situation does not apply in the other cases. Nevertheless, my approach will be to look for nominations from across the community for all of those positions. That is the way in which I am pursuing the matter at the moment.
MR HUMPHRIES: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. If the Chief Minister is looking for nominations from across the community for all those positions, why has she allowed a refusal by the Federal Government to nominate politicians, or members of the Assembly, to the council of the ANU to stay in the way of making those other appointments?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I thought I had just explained that. The refusal of the Federal Minister was, as I said, in the not too distant past, and up until that point I was considering nominations, including members of this Assembly. I am no longer considering members of this Assembly for those positions.
ACTEW - Engineering Services
MRS GRASSBY: My question is to the Minister for Urban Services. Can the Minister inform the Assembly about the work that the ACT Electricity and Water Authority is doing in exporting its environmental engineering skills and services to other countries in our region?
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