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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 2 Hansard (20 May) . . Page.. 396 ..

MR SPEAKER: Do not answer the first part.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I encouraged Mr Whitcombe and many other developers to come forward with proposals for rural residential development; and I still do that, because the Government is committed to rural residential development in the ACT. I did not specify to Mr Whitcombe or anyone else any particular part of Canberra.

Police Force - Expenditure

MR HIRD: These people over there whinge and whine, but they are the masters of - - -

MR SPEAKER: Ask your question, Mr Hird.

MR HIRD: Yes, sir. It is good to see you are in control as usual, Mr Speaker. I address my question to the Minister for Justice and Community Safety. I refer to the answer to my question yesterday - which was an excellent question, might I add - concerning the police budget and the announcement that $472,000, which I know Mr Kaine is also very interested in, would be provided to the police for significant costs of major operations. I heard Mr Hargreaves claim this morning - whingeing and groaning, which is his wont in life - that the money was necessary because of poor administration. I ask you, Minister: Is this correct?

MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mr Hird for that very good question. The short answer is no. Mr Hargreaves, who is developing a very profound reputation for shooting first and asking questions later, has blamed the need by the AFP to obtain more money on poor administration. He told the Canberra Times that. In fact, I quote from that article:

... John Hargreaves said that, while he had not been fully briefed -

that is putting it mildly, is it not? -

it appeared to reflect poor administration.

Mr Hargreaves: By your own words, it is.

MR HUMPHRIES: No. I never said at any stage that it was poor administration, Mr Hargreaves. Do not put words in my mouth.

Mr Hargreaves: Show me the quotation marks, Mr Humphries.

MR HUMPHRIES: You did not say this? Mr Speaker, I seem to recall - - -

Mr Hargreaves: I said considerably worse than that; and I will do so again, given an opportunity.

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