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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1150 ..

In fact, I am meeting with them tomorrow. I am going to have further discussions with them, my department is having discussions with them about these matters, and we will try to work through them; but they have to understand that a budget has been set and they have to work within that budget.

MR OSBORNE: I ask a supplementary question. Thank you for that, Minister. I would like you to cast your mind back to June 1995, when you had a shot at the previous Government about the Civic police station.

MR SPEAKER: Ask your supplementary question without preamble.

MR OSBORNE: You went on to say:

And we will not be building police stations without any furniture for the police to sit on. That will not be part of this Government's policy.

Given your attitude then and now, Mr Humphries, do you agree that you have been a little bit hypocritical?

MR HUMPHRIES: No.

Retail Trading Hours

MR BERRY: My question is directed to Mr Humphries. Mr Humphries, would you explain to the Assembly why you have done a monstrous backflip and withdrawn the restrictions on trading hours.

MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you for the dorothy dixer. Mr Speaker, this Government made it perfectly clear when it announced it was introducing a trial of trading hours that it was going to - - -

Mr Moore: A trial! Good one, Gary!

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Moore has arrived. It is nice to see you here, Mr Moore. If listening to the community, doing the work of finding out what the community wants and assessing the level of community support for these proposals amount to backing down, the Government will back down any day of the week. We have done our homework. We have assessed the level of community support for this proposal, and we have assessed - - -

Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Standing order 118(a) provides that answers shall be concise, confined to the subject matter and as truthful as possible.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Moore has a different version of standing orders to mine, Mr Speaker. We stand by our decision. If members opposite think that listening to people is backing down, then I am afraid we will back down every day.

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