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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 5035 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank the people who represent the events in the Assembly to the public outside, the media. They play an important role in our democracy; there is no doubt about that. Without them, we would not be able to represent our constituency so well. I respect that role, and I hope that they at all times do as well. We have a small media gallery - we disagree with some from time to time - and it places enormous pressure on them because we are a demanding lot in many ways. I trust that they will keep in their hearts the need to be honest and fair at all times.

I wish all those I have mentioned this evening a safe and happy holiday season, and I look forward to working with you all again in the next Assembly.

This Third Assembly was an experience for the people of Canberra. They experienced a Liberal Territory Government for the first time and it is an experience that they do not deserve to have repeated. (Extension of time granted) We have seen new lows in accountability, new lows in ministerial responsibility and new lows in service to the community. I see that Mrs Carnell is wearing a badge on the front of her garment this evening saying "Business Is Great". Well, it is not great for those among the all-time high in unemployment that was announced today, nor for those on the increasing waiting lists. Business is not great, Mrs Carnell.

Canberrans have seen their city go to rack and ruin due to the Liberals' pursuit of small government. Services, from health to housing, from ACTION to the maintenance of our parks and roads, have been savagely cut. Residents' amenity has also suffered. We have seen the expenditure of millions of taxpayer dollars not able to be scrutinised as the Government hides behind convenient commercial-in-confidence claims. We have given millions to or forsaken millions from large multinational companies like Fujitsu and CRI for nothing more than promises from the Chief Minister. We cannot judge these deals ourselves because the Chief Minister refuses to allow them to be public. I believe that if one is unwilling to make deals public there must be something one wishes to hide. Maybe the Chief Minister has learnt from the Unisys promises of 1,000 jobs. They have never appeared. Mrs Carnell simply makes the promise but does not release any of her details. This makes it harder for people to judge her promises at a later date. We have seen them all; we have heard them all.

We have seen new lows in the Territory Government's responsiveness to the Assembly's committee system. Subsequent Estimates Committee reports have been ignored, and Public Accounts Committee reports have been ignored. While the committee system already plays an integral and successful role in our legislative procedures, it would be more successful and influential had the Carnell Government been prepared to respect committee decisions and recommendations.

We have also seen lows in ministerial responsibility. While the Liberals have attempted to dine out on yet another episode of VITAB, the fact is that at least I am prepared to accept my responsibility as a Minister regardless of the circumstances. This is in stark contrast to the Chief Minister. Let me raise just two examples of the Chief Minister's inability to cop responsibility squarely on the chin. The first had financial repercussions; the second is more serious. Firstly, I remind the Assembly of the Auditor-General's report on the salaried medical officers. When the Auditor found that Mrs Carnell had overseen abuses

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