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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2651 ..

MR KAINE (continuing):

It is quite fascinating. While Jeff Kennett is trying to get Victoria straight, while John Howard is trying to get the Commonwealth straight and while Kate Carnell is trying to get the Territory straight, what is Bob Carr doing? He is doing exactly the same things - selling off public assets where they are no longer required, cutting the expenditure side of his budget and privatising the TAB. Is that not fascinating? Wayne will love that, I am sure. He might have something to say about that.

I began by saying that I had listened to the worst response to a major financial statement I have heard anybody make for eight years in this place. I reiterate that. I would be much happier, and I think the ACT community and the ACT taxpayers would be a lot happier, if we saw some constructive comment coming from the Opposition, instead of this constant carping, nagging and complaining that the whole world has fallen apart and we cannot sustain the hard decisions that have to be made to pull it back into a reasonable state again. I know that Jeff Kennett is doing the right thing, that John Howard is doing the right thing and that Kate Carnell is doing the right thing. Let us get together and help her make the right decisions, instead of just criticising her every time she makes one.

Debate (on motion by Ms Follett) adjourned.

MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, I present reports Nos 10 and 11 of the Standing Committee on Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation. I seek leave to make a brief statement on the reports.

Leave granted.

MS FOLLETT: Report No. 10 of 1996, which I have just presented, was circulated when the Assembly was not sitting on 24 July 1996, pursuant to the resolution of appointment of 9 March 1995. Report No. 11 of 1996 contains the committee's comments on 27 pieces of subordinate legislation.

I would like to make two very brief comments on the contents, largely, of report No. 11. The first of my comments relates to subordinate legislation and, in particular, the making of determinations. The committee has, very reluctantly, had to report to the Assembly that we are seeing, in the making of determinations, the repetition over and over again of mistakes which the committee has reported on. Mr Speaker, I would urge those who are responsible for administering the making of determinations to be just a little bit more scrupulous in the content and format of those determinations, because it is becoming a source of some irritation in the committee and it makes us think that the Assembly is not taking our work seriously.

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