Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 13 Hansard (4 December) . . Page.. 4584 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: I am sure that Ms McRae, as Planning Minister after next year's election, will know everything that is going on in every part of her portfolio and will be able to answer questions without - - -

Mrs Carnell: Just like Mr Wood could.

MR HUMPHRIES: Just like Mr Wood was able to do when he was over here.

Ms McRae: So, you did not know. You are the Minister for Planning, and you did not know. Come on!

Mr Corbell: A major redevelopment in Civic, and you know nothing about it.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, if those opposite feel that they have won a triumph by being able to show that the Minister did not know something about some aspect of his portfolio at some point in time, then I am sure that they will ride on those triumphs to victory in government after February next year. But I do not think that a victory in the election is built on such tin-pot victories. The fact is - - -

Ms McRae: You did not know.

MR HUMPHRIES: She sits over there saying, "You did not know; you did not know". For goodness sake!

MR SPEAKER: Ignore it, I would suggest, before I decide to take further action.

MR HUMPHRIES: I can just see Ms McRae in her little newspaper hat, with her tin sword, over here, bringing dignity to the office of Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. I have indicated clearly to the house at every point what has happened with this matter. It will be a sad day indeed in the processes of the operation of this parliament if a Minister who comes back to give further but not contradictory information to the house, to make sure that the house is fully informed about an issue, is accused of misleading. If he is to be accused of misleading in that circumstance, we can see Ministers not being in the position of doing that in the future, and the house will be the poorer for it. I stand by the view that that is a very appropriate parliamentary practice. If we have members of the house who are so desperate to win votes in an election that they will characterise this as a misleading of the house, that is very sad for those members.

MRS LITTLEWOOD: My question is to the Chief Minister in her capacity as Minister for Business and Employment. The Minister would be aware of my interest in young people and jobs. I refer to the innovative Youth500 scheme that was announced by this Government in the 1997-98 budget. Can the Minister advise how the scheme is progressing in its aim of creating 500 jobs for young Canberrans before Christmas?

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .