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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (8 April) . . Page.. 689 ..

MR KAINE: I understand that such a letter was written. It resulted from a meeting that was arranged by the Federal Minister with local representatives of the tourism industry. It was a meeting that I knew nothing of. I was not invited to attend it. The Minister was doing an around-Australia trip talking to people involved in the tourism industry. I understand that there was - - -

Mr Berry: Are you not involved in it anymore?

MR KAINE: I do not go to meetings that I am not invited to. Do you? Would you turn up if you were not invited?

Mr Berry: If it was important enough, I would elbow my way in, Trevor. You know me.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Corbell has asked a question. He is entitled to an answer.

MR KAINE: Despite Mr Berry's interjection, I was not aware. It was something that happened at about the time that I took over the ministry. I was not even aware that the meeting was taking place. I do understand that there were some concerns as a result of the way that meeting went and a letter was written expressing those concerns. The matter has been taken up with the Minister. I do not feel that it is necessary for me to get involved in such an issue. I am sure that if the chief executive or executive officer of Canberra Tourism thought he needed my help to express his opinion he would have come and asked for it, but I do not think he felt the need for it. I am sure that if he does not get the response that he expects to get on behalf of the tourism industry he will come and talk to me. He has not done so.

MR CORBELL: I ask a supplementary question. I find it extraordinary that the chief executive of Canberra Tourism does not rely on his own Minister for help. Minister, can you inform the Assembly why the chief executive of Canberra Tourism wrote directly to the chairman of the Canberra Business Council requesting him, not you as the Minister and his superior, to raise with Mr Moore the issue regarding his dismissive attitude towards Canberra? Is it because the chief executive of Canberra Tourism has no confidence in you as Minister? Will you table a copy of the letter sent from the chief executive of Canberra Tourism to the Canberra Business Council, provided of course that someone remembered to cc a copy to you?

MR KAINE: I have said that I am aware that such a letter has been written. I do not have a copy and I have not seen it. I cannot table a document that I am not privy to. Regardless of whether he has confidence in me or not, I imagine that one of the reasons he went to the chairman of the Canberra Business Council is that that person had been a member of a delegation that went across the lake, I think with the Chief Minister, and discussed business issues at the ministerial level. It may be that through that channel - - -

Mr Whitecross: Why do you not ask him for a copy so that you can table it?

MR KAINE: Why?

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