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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 7 Hansard (19 October) . . Page.. 1873 ..

MR DE DOMENICO: It is over there. It is tabled. But let me answer it - - -

Ms McRae: It does not matter. I still asked you a question.

MR DE DOMENICO: Let me answer it.

Ms McRae: Please, please.

MR DE DOMENICO: Ms McRae, just listen and I will answer it, believe you me. The first time I saw the tender document was today. I did not know before today whether it was part of the tender document or not.

Mr Berry: You did not even know Harold was interested?

MR DE DOMENICO: No; ask me that question and I will answer it, Mr Berry.

Taxi Licence Auction

MR CONNOLLY: My question is to Mr De Domenico in his capacity as Minister for re-electing Harold. Given that Harold Hird and Associates are not making any money out of this auction - - -

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Connolly, address the Minister by his title.

MR CONNOLLY: As Minister for Business, Employment and Tourism. Given that Harold Hird and Associates are apparently not making any money out of this auction, have you considered what possible reason Harold Hird and Associates may have had for putting in a bid at all? Do you believe that it should be a matter of concern to the community generally when purchasing and tendering processes occur with bids that bear no relation at all to the commercial cost of providing a service?

MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Speaker, I know that he is asking for an opinion, but I am quite happy to answer it. I do not know what Mr Hird's bid was - or Harold Hird and Associates'; I am sorry - - -

Mr Connolly: You just told us and you just tabled it.

MR DE DOMENICO: Hold on. I did not know what Harold Hird and Associates' bid was, nor whether Harold Hird and Associates put in a bid. As to why they put in a bid, I do not know; but they put one in. You should ask Harold Hird and Associates that.

MR CONNOLLY: I ask a supplementary question. As Minister responsible for government tendering, have you considered the possibility that you may have predatory pricing here, where other commercial competitors can be driven out of a market by unrealistic tender prices? Have you considered that the real benefit for Harold Hird and Associates in winning this tender is in associating the name of a Liberal member with the

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