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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 6 Hansard (18 June) . . Page.. 1752 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I would like to table something for the interest of members, although I have to say it is a bit hard to read because it is all in Mandarin. Mr Moore would remember from our visit to Japan that one of the things we were critical of was that at that stage there was not enough information in Japanese for us to give to various businesses or various entities that were interested in Canberra business. We now have information on the whole delegation in Mandarin. We have tourism information in Mandarin as well. We have regional information on agricultural opportunities that exist in the region. We have a full list of events that occur in Canberra and opportunities that exist here for both tourism and business. Also, I think most excitingly, we have now put together a brochure on all of the investment opportunities that exist in Canberra, right from such things as information technology through to things like the Kingston foreshore and those sorts of opportunities that exist.

Mr Kaine: Would you just like to read an introduction to one of them, Chief Minister?

MRS CARNELL: I would be happy to read it at length, but it might be very strange. Mr Speaker, I am happy to table that because it certainly is a great step forward for Canberra.

Mr Moore: And the cost to the taxpayer?

MRS CARNELL: I am getting to that. The total cost to the Government is expected to be in the order of - - -

MR SPEAKER: Did you say "a great leap forward", Chief Minister?

MRS CARNELL: A great leap forward. The cost of the delegation to Canberra, Mr Speaker, will be in the vicinity of $45,000. The ACT Government will not be paying for any of the business representatives. They will be paying for themselves. This is, of course, not of the same ilk, I have to say, as when members of the previous Government went to Japan and the Government did pay for business representatives to go with them. All of the business representatives who are going are paying for themselves. The cost to the ACT Government is in the vicinity of $45,000.

MR MOORE: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mrs Carnell. Could you explain something to me? When you say the cost to the ACT is $45,000, does that include entities that are at arm's length from the Government, such as the representatives from ACTEW, from the hotel school and from the ACT Fire Brigade? What is included in that $45,000?

MRS CARNELL: When the delegation gets back I will give the Assembly a full run-down of exactly what was spent in what area. I am very happy to do that if the Assembly would like us to. As Mr Moore would be aware, it is hard to give exact figures until the delegation gets back. My understanding is that all of this money can be found from inside the budget. I know that CanTrade has an overseas travel budget, an international travel budget, of about $30,000. ACTEW will meet its own expenses, as will other entities, inside its current budget; but I am happy to give a more - - -

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