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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 4933 ..

Electoral Advertising

MR WHITECROSS: The Chief Minister berates all sorts of people here in the parliament, does she not? Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Humphries.

Mrs Carnell: He cannot answer.

MR WHITECROSS: Well, you can answer for him if you like. Shall I ask you, Mrs Carnell?

Mr Berry: Yes, ask Mrs Carnell.

MR WHITECROSS: I will ask Mrs Carnell, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, before the last election, in the Canberra Times of Wednesday, 11 January, you were reported as being critical of the previous Government for publishing documents, namely, an information leaflet for big bins, the ACT Consumer Affairs bulletin ACT Alert which contained photos and ministerial messages, and ACTEW's future water strategy which was in fact published in June 1994, eight months before the election. This week, in the last days of the Carnell Government, the Minister for Housing launched "Canberra's Housing - Strategic Directions for Housing in the ACT", a very welcome and long overdue report, I might say, which included a message and signature from the Minister. Given that this is in breach of the electoral regulation which you and, I believe, Mr Stefaniak, signed a week or two ago, what action will you be taking against your colleague the Minister for Housing, who has failed to follow your Government's policy under this electoral regulation?

Mrs Carnell: Gary will whisper.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, the decision announced by the Government the other day was that there should be no photographs of MLAs appearing in the period before an election. That rule has been complied with, with the one exception that members are aware of. They are very quiet, are they not, Mr Speaker?

Mrs Carnell: This might be the way around the problem.

MR HUMPHRIES: This could be the way around it. Mr Speaker, we have complied fully with that amendment to the electoral regulation.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, you might have to write that out, for Hansard. I am not sure about that.

Mr Kaine: Mr Speaker, I think the Minister answered the question comprehensively.

MR WHITECROSS: Mr Speaker, Mr Kaine thinks the Minister answered the question comprehensively, but, I fear, not accurately. I have a supplementary question.

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