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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 6 Hansard (18 June) . . Page.. 1749 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: Is that right?

MR SPEAKER: That is not a question. It is a statement.

Ms McRae: It was a question. There was a question mark at the end. He did not hear it. He was too busy bagging me.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, the lettuce leaf is stinging a bit. I might just retreat for a minute and mop my face.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, my question without notice is also to the Minister for the Environment, Mr Humphries.

Mr Humphries: I hope it is better than the last one.

MR CORBELL: Perhaps you will be able to answer this question. You have not done very well on the previous two. This is in relation to Tidbinbilla also. Minister, based on previous years' visitor numbers, and the revenue you have announced in the first year to be drawn from the entry charge, your own draft management plan and draft public works implementation plan appear to calculate a drop in visitor numbers this year due to the introduction of an entry fee. Minister, by my calculation this amounts to an estimated 15,000 fewer visitors going to Tidbinbilla this year. Given that 87 per cent of all visitors to Tidbinbilla are Canberrans, and 13 per cent interstate and overseas visitors, how can you justify introducing a fee which will result in 13,000 fewer Canberrans and potentially 2,000 fewer interstate and overseas visitors visiting Tidbinbilla this year?

Mrs Carnell: Why don't you ask Rosemary Follett?

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, that is a very good question, Mr Speaker. Why is it that I am being asked these questions when it was you people who pioneered the concept of fees at Tidbinbilla?

Opposition members interjected.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Settle down.

MR HUMPHRIES: You people pioneered the concept of fees at Tidbinbilla. We came to office without any policy at all about fees at Tidbinbilla. We had no particular position about it and we saw in front of us a report which lobbed on our desks.

Mr Corbell: You do now.

Mr Berry: Answer the question.

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