Page 4384 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 8 December 1993
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Mr De Domenico: No; just the particular one that was signed by you.
MR BERRY: Wait a minute. None of the States or Territories, according to the advice I get back from the meeting - not one, Mrs Carnell - suggested an end to these types of arrangements.
Mrs Carnell: That is all right. We will show you that tomorrow.
MR BERRY: Were you at the meeting? No, you were not.
Mrs Carnell: Were you?
MR BERRY: No; my advisers were there. They tell me that that was the case, and I have no reason to disbelieve them. The meeting agreed on the need to monitor overseas operations to assess whether there is any effect on the Australian racing industry in the longer term. Naturally, that is something that would continue to happen; there is no question about that.
You can try to kick up a bit of dust. The fact of the matter is that a deal has been done by the TAB that will return money to the Territory. Whether you like it or not, the TAB will be more successful - hate it though you must. The other TABs do not like our success, either. The ACTTAB has been doing very well, thank you very much, and of course they are envious. They have big green eyes about the success of the ACTTAB. There was also some discussion about the effects of new technology, such as PC based betting and the Sky channel proposal for the broadcasting of Australian race meetings. In all, this meeting discussed a range of issues. There is recognition that VICTAB has arrangements in Vanuatu and that the ACTTAB has arrangements in Vanuatu, and of course there is some envy amongst some of the TABs that they did not get it.
Visiting Medical Officers Dispute - Response to Advertisements
MS ELLIS: My question is directed to the Deputy Chief Minister in his capacity as Minister for Health. I ask: Will the Minister inform the Assembly as to the response to the advertisements for specialist doctors that were placed in the national newspapers recently?
MR BERRY: I thank Ms Ellis for the question. I must, first of all, say that one of the most disappointing elements of this dispute is that not once have the Liberals opposite called on the doctors to go back to work and start treating patients. Instead, Mrs Carnell has been a continual apologist for the industrial action, the strike action, against our patients in the public system. Not once did she go out and say, "Go back to work". She is an apologist for the actions the VMOs are taking against innocent patients in the ACT.
Mr Kaine: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The Minister has successfully mounted an attack on the Leader of the Opposition. Would he please answer the question Ms Ellis asked? I ask you to direct him to the question that was put to him. He was not asked to attack the Leader of the Opposition, I recall.
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