Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 10 Hansard (3 September) . . Page.. 3003 ..

Mr De Domenico: Go and talk to them, Andrew.

MR WHITECROSS: I have, Mr De Domenico, and I know. Mr Speaker, Floriade was a fantastic event which we could all be - - -

Mr De Domenico: No, you have not. You are playing filthy, dirty politics; gutter stuff.

Mr Hird: You are learning it off him.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Whitecross has the floor.

MR WHITECROSS: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Floriade was the one event of the year which everybody could attend. They could celebrate life in Canberra and do it for free; but not any longer. The Minister has increased fees and charges for practically everything he has control over. His philosophy is that if you can get a dollar out of it you should. This is one more. Mr Speaker, his decision to charge for parking at Floriade has infuriated the tourism industry. People have been promoting Floriade all over Australia as a free event. People have been selling packages to come to Floriade on the basis that it is a free event, and Mr De Domenico has pulled the rug out from under them. Mr Speaker, Mr De Domenico has mishandled this situation and it is not surprising that Mr Zuber, before Floriade opens, wants to register his lack of comfort with the way Mr De Domenico has handled himself as Minister.

Private Hospital Beds : Petrol Prices

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (6.13), in reply: Mr Speaker, I want to make a brief reference - - -

MR SPEAKER: And mercifully to close the debate.

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes. I want to make a brief reference to the earlier debate about private hospital beds. I heard Mr Berry's claim that I was responsible for having made that decision. I wonder why it was that when Mr Connolly announced that the beds were going to be provided by the then Follett Government Mr Berry publicly attacked Mr Connolly for having made that decision? If it was my fault, why was Mr Connolly being attacked?

Mr Berry: I am just saying that people should get the history right. You made the decision.

MR HUMPHRIES: That is a bit of history that you forgot all about Mr Berry.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .