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MR KAINE (3.46): Mr Speaker, I have to say at this stage that I oppose the motion put forward by Ms Horodny. I do so because to pass it would completely set aside the established processes of this Assembly. The logical process to follow, surely, is to conduct the debate in principle on the Government's legislation, or any legislation for that matter, and see what the Government has to say. The passage of this motion would prevent the Government from expounding in detail its proposal as contained in this legislation. Ms Horodny obviously does not want to hear that. I do. I was at the forefront of corporatisation of ACTEW in 1990 and, as Mr De Domenico has pointed out, we enacted legislation. A majority of the members of the Assembly in 1990 passed a law to corporatise ACTEW. It did not take place, because Labor resumed office and knocked what they considered to be nonsense right on the head. The fact is that a majority of the Assembly in 1990 passed a Bill to do what the Government is now again proposing to do.

I know that there has been an ongoing debate over those five years. The bit of paper did not lie in somebody's drawer gathering dust. I know that there has been a great deal of debate and discussion about it. The fact that Ms Horodny was not part of that does not say that it did not occur. I am not up to speed with all aspects of the Government's current proposal; nor am I up to speed with their consultation processes or the kinds of things that Ms Horodny has raised. But I would like the Government to have the opportunity to tell me. Let us not just shove it off to a select committee without even knowing what the Government is proposing or allowing it the opportunity to present it. What I have been talking about, Mr Speaker, is what I believe to be a reasonable, logical, rational process of debate.

Mr Berry: You are too set in your ways, Trevor. You could change.

MR KAINE: It is very interesting. Mr Berry wants to jump on a band wagon now because he can sniff the opportunity to knock off a Government proposal. That is what he is on about. He does not want to debate the issue either. He does not want to know the benefits that the Government might be able to enunciate; he just wants to knock it off. He sees it as some sort of short-term political victory. I am not concerned, Mr Speaker, about what the Labor Party might see as a short-term political victory; I am concerned about the benefit that can accrue to the ACT community as a result of what the Government is proposing. So, let us have the debate.

As I was saying, Mr Speaker, I am simply outlining what I see as a logical, rational and reasonable approach to debate in this place. It happens to be what we have always done. I do not see as a good reason to set it aside today the fact that Ms Horodny is confused about something or feels that she is not sufficiently informed. I have to say that it is not solely the responsibility of the Government to inform the Greens on everything. It is their job to go and inform themselves. If they have not done so, that is their problem.

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