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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 2006 ..

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, no; I am speaking to the issues here. The fact of the matter is that this Government over here - the one that Mr Osborne, Mr Moore and the Greens support - in its three budgets has contributed $40.159m, whereas $71.045m was contributed in 1991-92. What sort of a government was that? It was a Labor government. And $90.953m was paid between 1992-93 and 1994-95. So, Mr Speaker, this Government over here contributes 25 per cent of the amount contributed by Labor, and Mr Osborne endorses it as a success story every budget time. Let us face the truth here. This undying commitment to a government on this key issue demonstrates where the Independents are coming from. They do not care about the future. Short-term headlines are what they are interested in. Labor can be judged by its performance in its term of office. Its performance on this particular issue today, Mr Osborne, should earn some support because it was way in advance of this Government's performance.

I must refer at this point, Mr Speaker, to a comment that was made by Mrs Carnell, the leader of a government who will say anything that she can get into her head to present an image to the community. When asked on ABC radio whether she was funding the superannuation liability, she said, "Yes, we will fund it with real money". None. No real money. She did not have any real money that day. So what happened? The emerging costs were not funded at all, and they never have been since she took office.

Mr Osborne: Since self-government.

MR BERRY: Mr Osborne, when you came into this place you made certain promises in relation to who would get your support, for the frailest of reasons, but none of those reasons were about the future of the Territory. Mr Osborne, had you changed your mind on the basis of this Government's performance, I am sure there would be thousands upon thousands of people out there who would have forgiven you, but many will not now. Mr Speaker, we are talking about superannuation, and you make your judgments on the basis of performance.

Mr Osborne: That is right - $645m.

MR BERRY: Labor in office made an effort of around four times as much as the Carnell Government has. You, Mr Osborne, having supported the Government in two previous budgets where they did not make a contribution to emerging costs, have disqualified yourself from criticising this Government. Your criticism is not worth 20c. You have shown your colours. You have supported a government - - -

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, what is reference to Mr Osborne's loyalty or otherwise to anybody to do with Part 7, the ACT Superannuation Provision?

Mr Whitecross: You seem very sensitive about this, Mr Speaker. Why do you not listen to the debate? That is what the debate is for.

MR SPEAKER: I have been listening, and that is why I asked the question.

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