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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2330 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Having put those conflicting issues in place, Mr Speaker, I am also aware that Mrs Carnell has really staked her reputation on being able to get the health budget under control. Through the election campaign and for a long time before it she was saying, "Labor has not been able to manage Health but if you give it to me, do not worry. It will all be under control". In fact, she has the advantage of being not only Minister for Health but also Treasurer and Chief Minister. That is a triple advantage. If anybody should be able to get it under control, she should. She has said that she needs this legislation in place in order to give her the tools to do that. The converse of that is that if she does not get this legislation she will not have the tools to get it under control. Mrs Carnell, I will assist in putting you on your roller-coaster and let you go with it. I will oppose Mr Berry's motion to adjourn the debate, although I think he has some particularly good arguments, and I will give you the tools which you want in order to solve the funding problems and the other problems in Health. As far as I am concerned, it will be fairly and squarely on your shoulders. When we get to the in-principle debate on the legislation, I will talk about some other details and ensure that you have your tools to do what you want. If indeed you are not able to do it, then I think you will have nowhere to hide.

Mr Berry: You will listen to the debate?

MR MOORE: Mr Berry interjects to say, "You will listen to the debate?". Indeed, Mrs Carnell would be aware that, like the TAB, this issue is one that I think is quite difficult. My personal view is that the legislation will not help; that it will make matters worse. Therefore, I have oscillated in my readiness to support the legislation. For that reason, as Mr Berry points out, I will follow my usual practice and listen to the debate. Should there be a speech of great influence, then it may well be that in another hour or two, if it takes that long, I will change my mind.

MS TUCKER: I seek leave to make a statement.

Leave granted.

MS TUCKER: After listening to Mr Moore, Mr Berry and Mrs Carnell, I think the Greens will be supporting Mr Berry's concern here, particularly after what Mr Moore has just said. We have grave concerns about this proposal.

Mr Moore: Where were you yesterday?

MS TUCKER: There are two points here. There is the point of adequate time to look at legislation. Yesterday I was expressing my belief that Gungahlin needed to happen. Mr Moore, in his argument, was not able to explain clearly enough to me how Gungahlin could go ahead in a well-coordinated manner until the Gungahlin Development Authority was set up. However, I am definitely sympathetic to the principle that there be adequate time to look at legislation. If the community needs to have more time, as is Mr Berry's view, I would support that. I would also support the motion for the reason that Mr Moore has just said that he finds it a difficult issue. Because we do have grave concerns about this, I would welcome the opportunity for Mr Moore to have more time to think about it. For those reasons I will be supporting Mr Berry.

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