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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (11 November) . . Page.. 3910 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: I have already told the Assembly that I have discussed the question of Mr De Domenico's legal fees with him. I discussed it with him on several occasions after the legal action began and I became Attorney-General, and I have discussed it, I think, on one occasion since he left that position. I have already made it clear that I have discussed the matter with him on several occasions. I have discussed the matter also with other members of this place, as Mr Berry would know if he talked to his erstwhile leader, Mr Whitecross, who was involved in those discussions. You have not been talking to your colleagues again, have you, Mr Berry? Never mind. That is the totality of that.

If Mr Berry is suggesting in all of this that Mr De Domenico was offered any inducement to leave the Assembly through a promise that his costs would be paid, it is certainly not true, and the proof that it is not true is the fact that it has not happened. Mr De Domenico's costs have not been paid by the Government. There never was any proposal from the Government to pay his costs.

Mr Berry: Or the deal was ratted on.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Berry made a comment semi sotto voce to the effect that a deal was ratted on. There was no deal. To suggest that there was a deal is highly improper. It implies that some use of public money was to be engaged in to deal with Mr De Domenico's departure from the Assembly. That is emphatically not true. If Mr Berry believes it is true, he should say so, not under his breath but loudly so that we can deal with the matter as a motion of censure or something of that kind.

MR SPEAKER: It should be dealt with properly through the Assembly. You are quite right.

MR HUMPHRIES: That is right.

MRS LITTLEWOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. Last week Mr Wood indicated his lack of support for employment for young people when he asked the Minister whether he was aware of the proposal to develop a five-star resort on the northern shores of Lake Tuggeranong. In doing so, he asked the Minister to assure the Assembly that he would protect such valued parkland.

Mr Berry: Is it going to have a big blue ribbon on it?

MR SPEAKER: Will you be quiet, Mr Berry.

MRS LITTLEWOOD: Minister, are you aware of other proposals to change land use in the Territory Plan from open space? Can you indicate when these changes occurred?

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