Page 3286 - Week 11 - Thursday, 22 September 1994
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Madam Speaker, the Government recognises that the ACT has enormous potential to attract international visitors. We have a unique product, a product that is growing and developing, a product which we are promoting in key international markets. In tabling the detailed response to the report, I would like once again to thank the committee for the work that it has put into the inquiry and for its valuable report. I table the Government's response to that report.
MR STEFANIAK (10.54): As the committee chair, even though I was not on that committee, I feel that I should briefly respond to the Chief Minister's comments. I thank the Chief Minister for her comments, which are mostly supportive of the recommendations of the committee. I suppose that it is with some disappointment that I look at her comments in relation to what she has been told by Airport Planning Pty Ltd.
In relation to comments made by the Chief Minister about looking into the purchase of Canberra Airport, I note that she has made somewhat more guarded comments today. I think there are a couple of things in the committee report that the Government should bear in mind before it decides to take any further action. I draw attention to paragraph 2.1 on page 3 of the report. The Canberra Airport incorporates RAAF Base Fairbairn. They control the runway and the eastern part of the airport; the FAC basically controls the western part and the terminal buildings; and the other buildings are owned by private bodies. We have to be sure of exactly what we are looking at buying. Also, the committee asked the Government to consider a number of options apart from just the Government buying the airport. The then committee chair was very keen to see either a joint venture or a private purchase of the airport. One of the things mentioned in the Hilmer report was a joint venture in terms of the Government and private enterprise buying and controlling the airport. That would be the way to go, and that is certainly something that I would urge on the Government.
MR DE DOMENICO (10.56): I would like to follow on from my colleague Mr Stefaniak's comments, especially about the future possibility of purchasing the airport should the Federal Labor Party decide to go ahead with its privatisation plan for airports. Professor Hilmer made a specific statement following a statement made by the Chief Minister in which she hinted at the possibility of the Government buying Canberra Airport. I think the statement by Professor Hilmer was that governments ought to be very careful in getting into that sort of situation, especially seeing that other airports are more likely to be bought either in a joint venture way or by the private sector, because in that sort of situation there is no doubt that a government owned enterprise would not be able to compete as well as either a joint venture operation or a private sector operation. I think it is important to say that, because the Government's business record over the past year-and-a-half especially is not one that would instil confidence in its ability to run any business whatsoever. Need I mention the infamous VITAB affair to show that sometimes the Government does it get wrong? Most times when governments become involved in areas more rightfully the domain of the private sector they get into trouble. We do not need to look back very far to what happened in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia for us to realise that.
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