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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 (Hansard) 16 May) . . Page.. 1362 ..

Ms Follett: What about the jobs?

MRS CARNELL: I am very happy, if members of the Assembly want me to go over the road and do so - they could do so too - to count the number of people who are working over there.

Ms Follett: You do not know. There were not any.

MRS CARNELL: The issue, though, and the point I made in question time on Tuesday, is that this is great for business. It stimulates investment - - -

Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: The standing orders are pretty clear. Standing order 118(a) says that the answer "shall be concise and confined to the subject matter". The question has been clarified a number of times. Mr Speaker, I ask that you ask the member to sit down if she cannot answer the question.

MR SPEAKER: One of the reasons the Chief Minister is having difficulty answering the question is the constant interjections coming from the Opposition. I would suggest that you remain silent while she finishes.

MRS CARNELL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I said, I am very happy to go and find out how many people are being employed over the road, although anybody here could do that. The reality is that, although it is a small office at this stage, and we made that clear, it generates business and it generates revenue for the ACT Government. Most importantly, as I said on Tuesday, the major reason for it being a real benefit to Canberra is that it is the first time the ASX has ventured outside the major capitals. Canberra is first cab off the rank. Unlike those opposite, I think that is a real benefit to Canberra.

MS HORODNY: My question to the Minister for Urban Services, Mr De Domenico, relates to the water supply operations of ACTEW. As you would be aware, Canberra's water comes primarily from the Corin and Bendora dams and, to a much less extent, from the Cotter Dam, all of these being in the Cotter catchment. Much of this catchment is within Namadgi National Park, and it has often been said that the quality of Canberra's water and the low costs of treating this water are due to the fact that it comes from a relatively pristine water catchment. Could the Minister, therefore, advise what financial or other contribution ACTEW makes to the costs of managing Namadgi National Park and to ensuring that there is no degradation of the water quality in the Cotter catchment, given that the management resources of the park are severely stretched and that ACTEW is relying on the park management to do its job properly in order for ACTEW to reduce its downstream water treatment costs?

MR DE DOMENICO: I thank Ms Horodny for her question. Mr Speaker, I do not have the precise details of what ACTEW does or does not do there, but I shall get that information as requested by Ms Horodny and let her know.

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