Page 4176 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 29 November 1994
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Madam Speaker, the dictionary defines "quid pro quo" as "one thing in return for another ... something for something". Will the Chief Minister confirm that she was told at a meeting with TLC officials last week that she and her Government were on a good behaviour bond imposed by the trade union movement until the next election? I ask: Why should the Trades and Labour Council have greater say in the direction of the ACT Government than any other organisation or, for that matter, ordinary Canberrans?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, far from confirming Mr De Domenico's statement, I will absolutely deny it. Indeed, it is foolhardy to suggest that that kind of a conversation did take place. As for the comments attributed to Mr Pyner, I have to say that I did not hear him make those comments; but, if he did, he was in error. Madam Speaker, this Government governs in the interests of all Canberrans. We do not consider ourselves to be beholden to any particular group, particularly not when it is apparently a quid pro quo arrangement, as Mr De Domenico has suggested. Madam Speaker, I reject the whole tenor of Mr De Domenico's comments.
MR DE DOMENICO: I wish to ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Chief Minister, what demands have the Trades and Labour Council and the union movement made of you in return for their money for the ALP campaign? In other words, how many quids have been promised and what are the quos?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, there have been no demands made. As I said earlier, there is no quid pro quo. I would like to put the same question to the Liberals: What demands have been made of the Liberals? What about the 250 Club? What demands have been placed on you? There is a sudden silence opposite. Madam Speaker, I repeat that the Labor Party, in government, governs in the interests of all Canberrans. I only wish that one could say the same for other parties in this chamber.
Petrol Station Sites
MS SZUTY: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning, Mr Wood. I understand that two weeks ago expressions of interest for the operation of three independent petrol station sites in the ACT closed and that expressions of interest had been received from only one independent company - Burmah. I further understand that it was not, and is not, the Government's intention to have all three sites operated by the same tenderer. Given that further expressions of interest for the operation of the three sites will close at 2.30 pm tomorrow, can the Minister assure this Assembly that, as preferred, more than one tenderer will be successful and that the integrity of the tendering process has been, and is being, maintained?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I am certainly confident that this occasion will produce the result we required. On the recent call, one expression of interest for two of the three sites was received by the advertised closing time. Two further expressions of interest were received after the closing time. They were returned to the senders. After considering all the options and all the available information, we decided that the period for expressions would be extended, as Ms Szuty said, to 30 November.
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