Page 1998 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 15 June 1994
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The former Minister came into this place in May last year and said that as from 1 July 1993 ACTTAB would be a statutory authority. Why would it become a statutory authority? Because he, the Minister, could pick the chairman of the board and the deputy chairman of the board, consult with those two people and the chief executive, and then appoint other members of the board as well. He referred to things like having control of the whole thing and having proper accountability. The Minister, notwithstanding what was said in this place by members of the Opposition, wanted complete control of ACTTAB. After convincing the Independents that this would result in greater accountability, that is what the Minister got. That is what he wanted; that is what he got. So, for anyone to come into this place today and say, "It is all the fault of the ACTTAB board, and no-one else", is absolute nonsense because the facts do not bear that out.
There are a lot of things in the body of Professor Pearce's report. It is very easy to read the front and the recommendations at the end, as you would tend to read a novel when you want to fall asleep, without looking at what is in the body of the report. Let me now refer to the issue of probity. We have a situation where Mr Berry and Ms Robinson said to Professor Pearce that on 23 July, or round about that time - - -
Mr Berry: This little grub always names people who cannot defend themselves.
Ms Follett: Leave the staff out of it, Tony. It is disgusting.
MR DE DOMENICO: I know that this hurts; but it needs bearing in mind because we are talking about what the report says, Chief Minister. The report says that on 23 July, according to Mr Berry's evidence and according to Ms Robinson's evidence, Mr Berry told Mr Townsend that he, Mr Berry, expected probity checks to take place - and quite rightly. That is what the Minister should have said and, if we are to believe the Minister and Ms Robinson, that is what the Minister, in fact, did say. Mr Townsend, on the other hand, says that this is not the case. It was his understanding that the Minister did not say that. Any reasonable person can then conclude that either Mr Berry and Ms Robinson are wrong or Mr Townsend is wrong.
Mr Berry: What did Professor Pearce say? That is the important thing.
MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Berry, you ask the question, and I accept your interjection. Professor Pearce preferred to believe Mr Townsend. That is the answer to your question. That being the case, it means that Mr Berry did not ask for a full probity check. If that is the case, where does the responsibility lie? With Mr Berry; not just with the ACTTAB board, but with Mr Berry. That is point No. 1.
Ms Follett: That is not what the report says. Read the report.
MR DE DOMENICO: I am reading the report. I am going to quote from the report, too, because there was a lot said about certain individuals from time to time.
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