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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2533 ..

Driving Schools - Advertisements

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I would like to provide additional information in respect of a question I took on notice from Mr Osborne on 20 February this year. The question was in relation to advertising by certain ACT driving schools in the 1997 Yellow Pages. Mr Osborne alleged that the advertising by these parties stated that their schools were accredited by the ACT Government to apply the principles of the competency-based driver training scheme, when at the time there was no accreditation scheme in place. He asked whether these driving schools had breached the ACT Fair Trading Act 1992.

Further to the answer which I gave I would like now to add the following: I instructed the Consumer Affairs Bureau to investigate the allegations raised by Mr Osborne in the Assembly. I am advised that the Consumer Affairs Bureau investigated the allegations raised by Mr Osborne and conducted interviews with the principals of the driving schools and gave them an opportunity to respond to the allegations made against them. It also approached various other industry and government representatives. I am advised that the Consumer Affairs Bureau has now completed its investigation of these allegations and that the director of the bureau has referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions. As is the normal course, the DPP will now decide whether proceedings will be initiated as a result of the information provided by the director of the Consumer Affairs Bureau. Members will appreciate that it would be inappropriate for me to provide further information at this stage.

PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS

MR BERRY (Leader of the Opposition): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement pursuant to standing order 46.

MR SPEAKER: Proceed.

MR BERRY: During question time Mrs Littlewood asked a question of Mr Humphries and Mr Humphries proceeded to attempt to implicate my office in some way in some behaviour which he described, I think, as questionable in relation to an organisation called, I think, the University Labor Club or something like that.

Mr Humphries: Labor Students Club.

MR BERRY: Labor Students Club. The first thing I would say, Mr Speaker, is that Mrs Littlewood should avoid being used as a pawn by Mr Humphries.

MR SPEAKER: Order! That is not a personal explanation. I am sorry; we are not - - -

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