Page 2346 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 22 June 1994
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MRS CARNELL (Leader of the Opposition) (3.05): I would be very happy to clarify that. As Mr Moore would be aware, the actual words I used - I read them - were that this Bill and my amendment would allow staff to focus on customer service, performance and the success of the agency, and not depend on the public service culture. It would allow them to have a culture that actually reflected the area that they worked in. I am sure that every staff person would like to achieve that. The feedback we have had from areas such as ACTEW indicates that they are very keen to do so. Knowing what the Government has promised ACTEW, it is interesting that the Government also obviously realises the importance of them having a culture of their own, as the Government has promised them.
MR LAMONT (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Housing and Community Services, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (3.06): We also oppose this amendment on the basis of our previously stated objections, Madam Speaker, to most of Mrs Carnell's diatribe about ACTEW, ACTTAB and the Australian International Hotel School. I concur with the views of Mr Moore. I think it is absolutely reprehensible that a person who presents herself in this house as an alternative Chief Minister, heaven forbid, should denigrate the entire public service in one fell swoop as she has done. The best thing that Mrs Carnell should do, I would suggest, Madam Speaker, is to apologise to the 23,000 people in the ACT that she has just insulted. I also find it rather strange that she would adopt this type of attitude on the one hand, but on the other hand go around saying, "Maybe we need to change this and make it more stringent in some areas and less stringent in others". I think this is pretty well indicative of the simple fact that Mr Kaine has not briefed Mrs Carnell on this matter.
Amendment negatived.
Clause agreed to.
Clause 13
MRS CARNELL (Leader of the Opposition) (3.07): I move amendment No. 8 circulated in my name. This amendment reads:
8. Page 10, line 25, after subclause (2), insert the following subclause:
"(2A) An autonomous instrumentality shall not be constituted an administrative unit.".
Again, this amendment is necessary to protect an autonomous instrumentality from the whims of the Government. It attempts, obviously without too much chance, to give autonomous instrumentalities some autonomy.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (3.07): Madam Speaker, the Government will be opposing this amendment moved by Mrs Carnell. I can only conclude that it has been put forward by Mrs Carnell in the conviction that she will never be in government because the intention of this amendment is to prevent the Government from conducting one of its important functions, and that is to determine the structure and the arrangement of the government functions. The subclause that Mrs Carnell is proposing to
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