Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (21 February) . . Page.. 122 ..

MR WHITECROSS (continuing):

This is information which the Minister's department was boasting about at the estimates hearings last year. By his own admission a moment ago, this is information which his department had access to when it determined the new timetables. The information is there. It is in his executives' offices. It is not being carried around in Trevor Santi's briefcase. It is in the offices of executives of the Department of Urban Services. We are saying that we want a copy. I urge members to support the motion, and I hope that in future the Minister will pay more attention to the procedures of the house and less attention to scoring cheap political points.

MR DE DOMENICO (Minister for Urban Services) (3.24): Mr Speaker, I cannot leave that sort of nonsense unanswered. Mr Whitecross has been here for about a year. For him to suggest that other members have disdain for the processes of this house is absolutely nonsensical. I am aware that Mr Whitecross is out to get an injection of personality in order to take over the leadership of the Labor Party. That is fine. He can carry on as much as he likes on that basis. That is his business. I said to Mr Whitecross this afternoon quite clearly that he can have a full and proper briefing as long as he tells me specifically what it is that he wants. If he wants all records that we have in hand on magnetic ticketing systems, that might be four or five tonnes of paper. If that is what you want, you can have that. If you tell me specifically what it is that you want, I will - - -

Ms Follett: He has. It is in the motion.

MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Speaker, with the greatest of respect, Ms Follett should sit down and listen or contribute to the debate at a future time.

Ms Follett: I have. I am trying to tell you what your job is.

MR DE DOMENICO: You would not know what yours was. You are trying desperately to save yours. You are like a lame duck, for heaven's sake. You are lucky you have only five in your caucus.

Ms Follett: You hope.

MR DE DOMENICO: You just watch what happens to you, Ms Follett. I would look behind me if I were you. Mr Speaker, if Mr Whitecross tells me specifically what it is that he wants, I will make sure that he gets that information and, if he wants it, a full and proper briefing.

MR MOORE (3.25): Mr Speaker, I think the request that Mr Whitecross has made is a perfectly reasonable request, and he should expect a reasonable answer. If when the request goes to Mr De Domenico's department there is some doubt about whether Mr Whitecross wants information for the past six months or the past eight months or about how he wants the information set out, then I am sure that they can come back to Mr Whitecross this afternoon and the information can be provided in a sensible way. Sometimes when members seek information, they want the information in a particular form; they do not want a briefing. Members may have a particular reason for wanting information rather than a briefing. I think this is a perfectly reasonable request, and I am quite happy to support the motion.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .