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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 9 Hansard (23 November) . . Page.. 2337 ..

MS FOLLETT (continuing):

I think it is time for the Assembly to say, "No more". As an Assembly, as a parliament, we have authority over the Government. If this Assembly, this parliament, directs and then redirects the Government to take a particular course of action, I, for one, do not expect the Government simply to defy that direction.

MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (11.59): This is a very interesting motion, but unfortunately Ms Follett did not actually speak about it for terribly long. She spoke about everything else, but not about the motion. The motion suggests that somehow the Government did not take into account the motion that was passed on Tuesday morning. For the interest of those here, I would like to table the minutes of the party room meeting we held directly on rising from the Assembly on Tuesday to do exactly what the Assembly told us to do. We went upstairs to the party room, as you would know, Mr Speaker. It meant that you had to be late for the Administration and Procedure Committee meeting, and I think Mr Hird was in the same boat. We discussed the issue and a motion was put reaffirming our previous position, which was the result of lots of discussion. I think the motion was put by Mr Humphries and seconded by Mr De Domenico, and it was passed unanimously by the party room. So we did exactly what this Assembly asked us to do. We went up and we considered the issues involved, including the extra education funding. We determined, after that consideration, that that was not an appropriate way to go.

I must admit that I want to know whether we are a government that breaks our promises or keeps them. Those opposite continue to say that we break every promise we make. Today they are saying, "You are a rotten government because you keep your promises. You do what you said you were going to do". The reality is that I am very proud of doing what we said we were going to do. I think that is an amazingly appropriate way to go. In front of me here I have the notes that were taken - not a small file - at the large number of community consultation sessions we had.

Ms Follett: They are submissions.

MRS CARNELL: No, they are not. They are notes, they are submissions, from meetings we had with a large number of groups prior to the budget. Those groups included - - -

Ms Follett: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: Could I ask that Mrs Carnell table that document?

MRS CARNELL: I am very happy for everyone to have a look at it. It is a very long document, but anyone who would like to have a look at it can do so. I do not think you would want to table it, but if I put it there anybody who wants to have a look at it is more than welcome to do so.

MR SPEAKER: I have some logistical problems associated with that.

MRS CARNELL: Anyone who wants to can have a look. That is not a problem. It is available if anybody wants to have a look. If you want to use your photocopying allowance, go ahead and do it.

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