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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 2918 ..

Ms McRae: Mr Speaker, I take a point of order. Since you are so interested in standing orders today, could I remind you of the standing order in relation to relevance? We are not talking about Mr Berry and it is not of interest. I asked a very specific question and I think the standing order relating to relevance may be in order.

MR SPEAKER: Chief Minister, be guided, please.

MRS CARNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. As we were speaking about the remuneration of members of the Board of Health, I thought members would be interested in what the remuneration of the previous board was; but, if not, I am happy to finish there, Mr Speaker. I think the basis of the reply to this question is that I tabled the determination in June and it was gazetted.

MS McRAE: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Could the Chief Minister then please explain why she did not explain the discrepancy between what she told the house on 27 June last year and what came down from the Remuneration Tribunal? She has not explained that discrepancy.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, if I table a determination in the house and members have any questions with regard to it, I am very happy to put those on record. In fact, Mr Moore did ask me and I gave him the same explanation at the time, which is the appropriate way to go, Mr Speaker. Mr Moore asked that exact question. I gave him the information on how it was done. Similarly, I have given it to you today.

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister. I gave her a couple of hours' notice that I would be asking this question, so that I could get a top answer. Chief Minister, your Government has just put in place a third business incubator in Wanniassa on a 50-year lease. The two previous business incubators in Kingston and Downer are on much shorter leases. Information has come to my office that these business incubators are not being used for new businesses; they are, in fact, being used to provide cheap rental for businesses that are already established. First of all, is this true? Secondly, what action are you taking or what policies are in place to ensure that the new business incubator in Wanniassa and the old business incubators in Kingston and Downer are just that - business incubators?

MRS CARNELL: Mr Moore, I thank you for notice of the question. Mr Moore was approached by a number of business people, as I was, and I am sure other members of the Assembly were as well, with regard to the lease that was proposed by the Government of the John Knight Centre for another Canberra Business Centre. They raised the issues that Mr Moore has alluded to. As a result of that information, or that complaint, shall we say, we immediately had a review of the whole issue of business incubators in the ACT.

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