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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 2695 ..

Ms Follett: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I distinctly heard Mr Stefaniak's colleague ask him about schools. I would not want to embarrass you in front of your colleagues here, but I do draw your attention to the relevance of the answer that is being provided.

MR SPEAKER: I have to uphold the point of order.

MR STEFANIAK: Thank you, Mr Speaker. In summary, Mr Hird, no, that was quite wrong; we are not going to sell any schools and lease them back. It really would be nice, Mr Speaker, for a change, for the Opposition occasionally to just get behind the Government, rather than inventing such creative stories.

MR HIRD: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Minister, so you are saying that the Opposition, in the question that was asked yesterday in this parliament, was using schools as footballs. They fabricated the whole incident. It was a political stunt. Is that what you are saying, sir?

MR STEFANIAK: Quite clearly, Mr Hird, it was a political stunt, just like all those others I mentioned.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr De Domenico. Minister, can you confirm that Mr Mark Baker, the chief executive of BASAT, issued a written resignation last week because he had lost confidence in you as Minister and that he was only talked out of it by Mrs Carnell, who promised that she would be more supportive of him in his dealings with you?

MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Berry for his question. This is incredible; there must be a full moon, or there must be something over there that is catching. Mr Speaker, I saw no written resignation from anyone last week.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Would the Minister do us the favour of answering the question? Was he aware of a resignation? I heard him say he did not see one; but was he aware of any resignation, when did he become aware, and why was that resignation withdrawn?

MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Speaker, the last part of the question is hypothetical. Had there been a resignation, which I did not see, and had it been withdrawn by Mr Baker, supposedly - well, you should ask Mr Baker that, for a start. Mr Speaker, I repeat that I have not seen or heard of any resignation from Mr Baker, or anybody else. What Mr Baker may or may not have said to Mrs Carnell, if Mr Baker spoke to Mrs Carnell, I do not know; I was not there.

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