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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2189 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

Mr Speaker, will be an important vehicle for promotion of the ACT within China at a time when China is emerging as one of the fastest growing sources of tourism for Australia. As well, Yangzhou officials will assist the ACT in discussions on the feasibility of direct charter flights from nearby Nanjing to Canberra.

In the area of education, Canberra has many opportunities in China. It is estimated that there are more new hotels being built in China than in the rest of the world put together, Mr Speaker, creating an enormous demand for hospitality staff and staff training. Representatives from the Australian International Hotel School and the Australian National University are part of the CanTrade delegation and have each signed agreements for collaborative arrangements. For the hotel school it will mean student and academic exchanges with Yangzhou University, opening the way for developing closer relationships which will see Chinese students attending the hotel school here in Canberra. A number of other important agreements have been reached in China, notably one involving ACTEW and its waste water treatment technology. Members will be hearing more about that in coming weeks.

Mr Speaker, the delegation is now in Beijing and will be mounting trade shows similar to those staged in Yangzhou. This will generate new investment and new jobs for the ACT - something I would have thought that all members of this house were interested in. I would like to thank all of the members of the delegation who are in China. We all know that those trips are very hard work, but they are working hard for the ACT.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, my question without notice is to Mrs Carnell in her capacity as Chief Minister. Chief Minister, is it not the case that in the past your Government has employed LRM Australia to investigate the aquatic needs of the Territory and that the recommendations that they have made - that is, the upgrading of the Civic pool and the closure of the Dickson pool - will benefit their associated company, Leisure Australia? Is it not the case that you have employed CRI to prepare the business plan for the redevelopment of Bruce Stadium and then awarded a company which is linked to CRI the contract to perform the work, which according to you is valued at $27m? Chief Minister, is it not the case that you are now engaging Fay Richwhite and Associates, who have a track record of advising on the sale of public assets and then buying them, to advise you how to asset strip ACTEW Corporation and prepare ACTEW for sale? Chief Minister, how can the public be confident that taxpayers' money is being well spent when sister companies of firms who prepare the advice are awarded the subsequent contracts?

MR SPEAKER: Chief Minister, did you get the first one? Was it JR or was it LR?

MRS CARNELL: The first one was actually to Mr Stefaniak, but he answered that last week quite a lot of times. I do not think we need to do that again.

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