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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 7 Hansard (18 June) . . Page.. 1818 ..

MRS CARNELL: Unfortunately, the person who drafted Mr Wood's supplementary question may not have known that the meeting which I had last week with the Prime Minister was not subject to any media release whatsoever. In fact, we did not even put a press release out. As a publicity stunt, it is a bit of a worry to go down the path of a publicity stunt that you do not actually make public. For all of my faults, those opposite have suggested that publicity is not one of them. If we were planning to make it a publicity stunt, I am confident that we would have bothered telling the media about it.

The issues involved here are not just for the ACT. Those opposite would be very well aware that right now the New South Wales Government, not exactly a Liberal government, are going through exactly the same problems as the ACT. They are looking for $900m over the next three years as a result of the Beazley black hole. They are looking at all sorts of taxation options. In fact, last week they were talking about a poll tax of $100 per household. I can guarantee that this Government will not be looking at poll taxes.

MR HIRD: My question is addressed to the Minister for Police, Mr Humphries. I refer the Minister to a statement made last week by Rosemary Follett about speed cameras. I wonder whether the Minister could tell the parliament whether Ms Follett was right when she said on ABC radio last Friday that the money was provided in the 1994 budget for a trial speed camera.

MR HUMPHRIES: I heard Ms Follett say last week that money was provided in the 1994 budget for speed cameras. In fact, I heard her say on the radio:

If my memory serves me correctly, and it usually does, we had actually funded in the 1994 budget at least a trial of these cameras.

That being the case, and being a great believer in Ms Follett's memory, I called the officials and asked them why this budget decision in 1994 was not implemented. They said, "But, Minister, there was no such budget decision in 1994". I said, "No, no, no". I said, "Yes, there was. Ms Follett, who has a very good memory, said that she remembered it; and she was the Chief Minister at the time". They said, "No, Mr Minister; there was a budget decision in 1993 to allocate $35,000 for the purchase of a speed camera". I said, "Why was it not implemented? Why was there not a trial after this decision by the Government? Why are you guys frustrating the previous Government's decision?". I was told that Mr Connolly, the Minister responsible in her Government, in fact, canned the idea.

Ms Follett: On advice from the police.

MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed; on advice from the police. Ms Follett said on ABC radio last Friday:

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