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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 8 Hansard (26 October) . . Page.. 2082 ..

MR WHITECROSS: Mr De Domenico is doing something that they have been doing a fair amount of in this debate, which is rewriting history.

Mr De Domenico: What was the reserve price?

MR WHITECROSS: I will get to the reserve price, Mr De Domenico, and you will be pleased when I do. Mr De Domenico has been doing plenty of rewriting of history on this. Let us have a look at what happened in the Estimates Committee. I asked Mr De Domenico about the appropriateness of releasing 15 plates at once and his budget papers own estimate that this would wipe $40,000 off the value of plates in the ACT. He seemed very sanguine about that, I must say. I went on at some length about this business of $200,000 compared to the price paid last year of $240,000, and they said:

... the $200,000 is just a reserve price.

This is evidence given to the Estimates Committee by the department. In other words, "We might get more than $200,000".

Mr De Domenico: You might get less, too.

MR WHITECROSS: Mr De Domenico, how do you get less than the reserve price?

Mr De Domenico: The reserve price was $100,000.

MR WHITECROSS: No, Mr De Domenico, that is not what the department told the Estimates Committee. The department told the Estimates Committee:

... the $200,000 is just a reserve price.

In other words, "We might get more than $200,000". The transcript goes on:

MR DE DOMENICO: It is a reserve price, yes.

MR WHITECROSS: So you are hoping to get more than $200,000 for the plates? ... They will not sell if you do not get $200,000?

MR DE DOMENICO: The indications are that, depending on the demand, that the reserve price is only a reserve price. I think Mr Hird, as an auctioneer, would tell you that.

Was that not a prescient comment?

Mr Connolly: Did he say "the auctioneer"?

MR WHITECROSS: He did not say "the auctioneer", Mr Connolly; he said "an auctioneer". The Estimates Committee was told that the reserve price was $200,000. The Estimates Committee was led to believe that they expected to get more than $200,000. Now Mr De Domenico is rewriting history: "No, the reserve price is now only $100,000. We never expected to get $200,000. What are you guys talking about?

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