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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 8 Hansard (26 October) . . Page.. 2088 ..

MR WHITECROSS: They might not be running now. I will bet you that they are not running now, but they have been running.

Mrs Carnell: When? Last year?

MR WHITECROSS: No; this year, Mrs Carnell.

Mrs Carnell: Early this year?

MR WHITECROSS: No, not early this year; this year, Mrs Carnell. My point is that whether Harold Hird, MLA, owns any shares in Harold Hird and Associates is not my brief. My point is that Harold Hird and Associates Pty Ltd show a remarkable interest in the welfare of Harold Hird, MLA. They are happy to put his face on their ads on TV, they are happy to invite him to nominate what charities Harold Hird and Associates should donate their money to, they are happy to have him host the morning teas at which he announces that Harold Hird and Associates are making the donations. I have no reason to doubt any of the statements that Mr Hird owns no shares in his company, but this is a company that shows a remarkable interest in Mr Hird's welfare.

Mrs Carnell: His wife likes him.

MR WHITECROSS: Mrs Carnell says now that his wife owns it. It is not surprising that the company is looking after Harold, because his wife owns it. That is the point, Mr Speaker.

Can I say just two other things on this matter. One is on the transparency question. Mr De Domenico was invited earlier to table some further documents in relation to this matter and he said, "No, I am not going to table them; I am not interested in tabling them". Once again, the Government's purchasing policy - - -

Mr De Domenico: I did not say that at all. I said that they were all with the Auditor-General.

MR WHITECROSS: You did not table them. The Government's purchasing policy says:

. purchasing processes are visible to the Legislative Assembly ...

But the Minister, when asked to table documents, says, "No, they are with the Auditor-General". He refused to table them.

Mr De Domenico: No; I said that they were with the Auditor-General.

MR WHITECROSS: You did not table them. That is a refusal. That is yet another example of the failure of government to comply with their own purchasing policy.

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