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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 4802 ..

Mr Berry: They were not illegal with VITAB.

MR HUMPHRIES: But they did cost the Territory big money, did they not, Mr Berry, under VITAB?

Mr Berry: Not by themselves.

MR HUMPHRIES: They did cost the Territory big money - $5.9m. That is what the inducements in VITAB cost the Territory and the taxpayer. The inducements which Mr Berry is now trying to grasp like a man lost at sea grabbing at a log were a different kettle of fish altogether. They were not illegal and they have not cost the taxpayer any money.

Mr Berry: Neither were the VITAB ones illegal.

MR HUMPHRIES: But they have cost the taxpayer, Mr Berry. That is the fundamental difference. They were what sank VITAB. They were what caused the fact that today almost $6m in public money has gone down the drain.

Mr Berry is scapegoating. He has blamed his advisers. He has blamed the past ACTTAB board as well as the present one. By snide innuendo, he has blamed the New South Wales Liberal Government. There is nothing about the New South Wales Liberal Government in that report, Mr Berry. The New South Wales Liberal Government is not held up for blame. In fact, in that report the New South Wales Liberal Government was giving you fair warning that this had occurred. Mr Berry says that his letter from Mr Downy arrived after he signed the agreement, or that at least he did not see it until after he signed the agreement. That is fine. Let us assume Mr Berry is right. He probably is right. The letter arrived, or at least was not seen by Mr Berry until, after he had signed the ACTTAB agreement. Let us assume that is the case. I will give you the benefit of the doubt.

Let us look at the facts. Mr Berry, do not run away. Again Mr Berry leaves the floor. (Quorum formed) Mr Berry, who is the subject of this debate today, whose conduct is being discussed, who has apologised to the house already for his decisions, has left the chamber. That is the most extraordinary piece of incapacity to face up to reality I have ever seen. Mr Berry is scapegoating. He is finding excuses. He is finding people to blame. He is finding any reason at all to negate the reality that he himself is responsible for what occurred.

He says that he did not receive Mr Downy's letter from New South Wales warning him about this deal until he had signed the ACTTAB agreement. Fine. I think he is probably right about that. Let us assume that what he is saying is absolutely true. The fact is that he did see the letter sometime shortly thereafter. That was, as I recall, in late 1993. He then had that letter from Mr Downy saying, "Do not touch this with a barge pole.

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