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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 1 Hansard (20 February) . . Page.. 283 ..

Mr Whitecross: It is what you say is in it.

MRS CARNELL: Very much so. The reality is that, with boards such as the Interim Kingston Foreshore Development Authority, Jacqui Rees is not there as a representative of anybody or anything. Jacqui Rees is there as Jacqui Rees. She was there to represent the board in the approach that the Interim Kingston Foreshore Development Authority was taking. There is no way anybody could think that not having her there in some way removed community input into that body, or any other body for that matter.

It is very important that those opposite remember all of those letters they have sent us over the last two years when we have asked them for input on particular appointments - and there are lots of them. The letter back always says, "Appointments of this nature" - those are ones which do not come to committees of the Assembly - "are not the prerogative of the Opposition. In fact, the Government should make these, and you will be held responsible by us for them".

Ms McRae: That is exactly what we are doing.

MRS CARNELL: No; what you are doing here, if you support this, is directing or requiring the Government to make a particular appointment - something which is at absolute odds with everything you have always said and done in the past. You have always said that whoever is on boards and authorities is the prerogative of government, not the prerogative of this Assembly. In fact, legally, that is the case as well. The Assembly actually has no legal right to direct, but that is another issue.

Mr Speaker, to finish, I think it is important for the Assembly to understand that this really is not just the view of the Government. I would like to table for the interest of the Assembly, a letter from Paul Whalan - not a noted Liberal, I have to say; in fact, a previous Labor Deputy Chief Minister in this place - in which he made a quite definite statement. I will read the first bit, and everyone can read the rest:

Your Government is to be commended for its firm and justified position in removing - - -

Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: A short while ago Ms Reilly was ordered to withdraw a general comment unless it was something that was substantiated. The particular letter that Mrs Carnell is reading from, of course, is a bit more blackening of character - I have read the letter - and I think it is important that it be put in its context rather than have any general imputation being directed at somebody, although it is not at a member in this case.

MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Chair is not aware of what on earth Mrs Carnell is talking about at the moment. She is in the middle of reading something.

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