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MR WOOD: I ask a supplementary question. Why did we not get a “not necessarily a rise” answer? The Minister seems committed to price rises.

MR SPEAKER: That is hardly a supplementary question. I leave to you whether you wish to answer that or not, Mr De Domenico.

MR DE DOMENICO: The answer to the second question is the same as that to the first question. The Government is yet to consider any price rise for anything, and once it does consider it and makes up its mind the Assembly will know.

ACTEW - Corporatisation

MR BERRY: Shocked by the Government now conceding that there will be price rises for electricity and water, we would like to note that maximising returns to a corporatised ACTEW basically means selling as much electricity as possible.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is a little difficult to know exactly whom the question is being directed to. I would ask Mr Berry to indicate at the outset, not just now but also on other occasions on which he asks questions, whom he is asking the question of.

MR SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. Could you please state which Minister you are addressing.

MR BERRY: I can tell by the look in Mr De Domenico's eyes that he knew exactly whom it was intended for. It is for the Minister for falling business confidence, employment and tourism.

MR SPEAKER: If you people want to gaze into each other's eyes across the chamber, that is entirely up to you; but I still want to know what Minister you are addressing the questions to.

MR BERRY: It is that one I just mentioned - the Minister for falling business confidence, well known, employment and tourism - - -

MR SPEAKER: Order! Please address the Minister by his correct title.

MR BERRY: Mr De Domenico, sir, noting that the Government has conceded that prices for electricity and water will rise and that the Government will be considering them in the future, and noting the Government's commitment to user pays, as they mentioned earlier, and the maximisation of returns to a corporatised ACTEW, I ask whether that means selling as much electricity as possible. What direction does the Government intend to give ACTEW to ensure that they promote energy conservation rather than energy consumption?

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