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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 883 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

As to numberplates, I always give you a timeframe when I give numbers, so the figures that I give you are accurate at that time. I think 35 per cent now are taking "Feel the Power of Canberra" plates since the introduction of the plates and 65 per cent are choosing not to. Being the government of choice, we are proud that 35 per cent take the plates and would encourage more to take them and take that message interstate, because it really is a beaut message.

MR KAINE: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Those numbers are interesting, and I foreshadow that I will keep asking you that question to keep tabs on the numbers. How much has it cost the Department of Urban Services so far for the use of that slogan? I mean the whole of the Department of Urban Services. As a subset, how much has it cost to use that slogan on car numberplates up until now?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, I do not have those figures to hand, but I am happy to inquire. I understand that the firm that came up with the slogan waived the fee for the use on the numberplates. I will make some inquiries.

MR CORBELL: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, the budget papers contain the statement that ACTTAB is projected to make a profit of $800,000 and provide a dividend to the Territory of $450,000. By the way, that is almost as much money as you are spending on "Feel the Power of Canberra" this year. Does this not put paid to your bleating in recent times that ACTTAB was in dire financial straits and would actually make a loss this financial year?

MS CARNELL: The figures that we have at this stage, the last ones I had from ACTTAB, indicate that they would make a loss this year. We did indicate that ACTTAB would go into a small profit this coming financial year and the years after that - a very small profit. The reason that we are at the moment scoping ACTTAB is not necessarily its financial situation - that is part of it - but how ACTTAB is going to manage in the future in a situation where those nasty Labor Party people in New South Wales have privatised their TAB. It is just shocking that our TAB is being placed in such a dreadful situation by those nasty Labor Party people over the border. What we are doing, along with just about every other TAB in Australia - - -

Mr Corbell: Here come the reinforcements.

Mr Quinlan: Here comes the answer.

Mr Hargreaves: Is that print-out off the laptop?

MR SPEAKER: Order! Honestly, members in this place have an attention span something less than that of a week-old baby. I have told you before: Be quiet while the Chief Minister is answering questions.

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