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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4787 ..

MR OSBORNE: I must admit I am intrigued as to what the Labor Party is up to here. If they are not going to support the second part of my motion, which I think is probably the most important, what is the point in having an inquiry if we allow the Government to implement changes? What is the point of going through the whole process, wasting everybody's time in having a thorough inquiry, if you are going to allow them to go through with what they are planning? Wayne, be serious. How can we go ahead with this inquiry? I am intrigued. I cannot see the point. If the structural changes are going to take place, why the hell have the inquiry? What is the point? You are better off not having an inquiry.

Mr Humphries: I will tell you, if you like.

MR OSBORNE: I am not speaking to you. I am intrigued.

MR SPEAKER: You are speaking to me, Mr Osborne.

MR OSBORNE: Mr Speaker, I had not intended reading through the letter that I have here, but Mr Humphries raised a number of points. I think it is only fair that I read out some of the concerns that members of the ACTES have. I would like to speak on a couple of things that he said before I do that. He said that this process had been going on for a long time, since the middle of last year. One could then argue: What is the problem with adding an extra six months? If it has been going on for 18 months, what is the big rush to do it tomorrow?

He spoke about the South Region of the ACTES, saying that there are different factions. Well, the South Region came and saw me. Who put them onto me, I do not know; who sent them into my office, I do not know; but they came and saw me. They said, "You are going to stop every change that is taking place". I said, "No, I am not. I am going to give you the opportunity to have some say".

Mr Humphries: But you are. Look at paragraph (2).

MR OSBORNE: At the end of the day, I am going into this inquiry with an open mind, Mr Humphries.

Mr Humphries: Are you, Mr Osborne?

MR OSBORNE: Yes, I am; absolutely. You know you can trust me. The South Region said, "Great". They wanted the opportunity to have a say. I said, "That is all I am doing; that is all I am providing you with". I can give you my guarantee that I am going in with an open mind, Mr Humphries. If what you said is correct, if what you are claiming is correct, only a silly person would not support it.

Mr Speaker, in relation to some of the claims that the Government made, I have a detailed examination of the so-called rationale for the changes. Under the heading "Improve Operational Capability", in the paper produced by ACTES, the following appears:

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