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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2566 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

We came to government with the intention of supporting changes that would result in a more city council style of operation. I cannot see how doing away with the position of Leader of the Opposition and simply redistributing the staff allocations would fit in with our approach at all. In my view, that would be a pointless exercise that would rightly be viewed as a cynical political move in the months in the lead-up to the election, particularly after we went down the path of commissioning a detailed independent review of members' roles and responsibilities, which has only recently been adopted.

Mr Speaker, I have to say, though, that, if you were to make the position of Leader of the Opposition one based on merit or performance, I am not sure that you would choose those opposite. By any reasonable measure, the Independents and the crossbenchers - - -

Ms McRae: The same with the Chief Minister then, and the Ministers.

MRS CARNELL: Ms McRae should actually look at the statistics here. The Independents and the crossbenchers have actually come up with more ideas and more Bills over the last 21/2 years. Just have a look at the statistics. I do not actually have a great love for those on the crossbenches on many days, Mr Speaker, but I know for a fact that Mr Moore has brought forward more new initiatives and more Bills in this Assembly than the entire Labor Party put together. It is fair to comment, too, Mr Speaker, that the Greens and Mr Osborne, all of whom are in their first term in this Assembly, have been considerably more proactive than those dinosaurs opposite.

MR SPEAKER: The enthusiasm of youth, Chief Minister.

MRS CARNELL: It is, Mr Speaker. I can understand that. Having said that, I think that it would be inappropriate at this stage to use the poor performance of the Labor Party as the official Opposition to officially throw the baby out with the bath water by supporting this motion right here and now. Mr Speaker, for this Government to even contemplate supporting what the Greens have put forward today, Ms Tucker and the crossbenchers will have to go significantly further than what they have put on the table today. I suppose that you could say that we are, therefore, issuing a challenge, Mr Speaker.

We have heard a number of comments in the debate today from Ms Tucker, Mr Osborne and Mr Moore; but, unlike those opposite, we do not take the view that the current miniature Westminster system that we operate under here in the Assembly is somehow perfect or even the best system for the ACT. I know that the Labor Party has stated repeatedly that it is not interested in changing the system of government. So, I will address my remarks to those members who are. I have to accept that all of the members of the crossbenches really are.

To illustrate my point, I would remind the Assembly of one of the ideas contained in the Governing Canberra report, which was compiled in 1995. I accept that members opposite did not like the Governing Canberra report; but to rule out all of the Governing Canberra report, I think, would be a mistake as well. I would just like

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