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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (8 April) . . Page.. 694 ..

MR KAINE (continuing):

I wish I could; but unfortunately I cannot, any more than Mr Wood, Mr Berry or any of the others could when they were Ministers. I do not hold myself accountable for what they say and do. I express my displeasure when I have the opportunity and the occasion to do so; but, short of declaring war on the Commonwealth and carrying out an assault on the Federal Parliament, I am not too sure how I can influence them, other than by speaking to the person personally when I have the opportunity to do so. Fighting a paper war does not get you far. I can write lots of letters, but what good does that achieve? None. While I agree with Mr Wood that it is undesirable and I do not approve of or endorse it, I am afraid there is very little that I can do to prevent it.

MR WOOD: I ask a supplementary question. I take issue with the point that there was very little that you could do. There was not anything that you did. Could you not have publicly defended the ACT?

MR KAINE: I think I publicly defend the ACT practically every day of my political life. I do not just focus in on what one member of parliament across the lake says. I do not think that I have to apologise for my performance. I certainly do not apologise to Mr Wood for my performance as a member of this place over many years, in fact for a lot longer than either Mr Wood or any other member opposite has been here.

MS REILLY: My question is to Mr Kaine in his capacity as Minister for Urban Services. Minister, why is your Government allowing people who are contracted by the Government to collect junk at the landfill areas to openly puncture and release CFC gas when gathering refrigerators? Is it not the case that the Government requires CFC gases to be recovered and disposed of properly?

MR KAINE: I am not sure that this is a question that I should be dealing with. If you want to address the question to the Minister for the Environment, feel free to do so.

Mr Whitecross: Mr Speaker, can the Chief Minister take her Minister to task for not knowing his portfolio? She is ducking and hiding.

MR SPEAKER: No.

MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, I am totally unaware of the circumstances to which Ms Reilly refers. If she is prepared to give me the detail, I will examine the matter and come back to her with a comprehensive answer.

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