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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 6 Hansard (1 September) . . Page.. 1666 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

There was another fairly tawdry little untruth about what is in this report. Any little bit of dirt, no matter how unsubstantiated it is, is fair enough to throw at the people behind this report. I say to Mr Corbell and his ilk that if they really believe these things they should go outside the chamber and make these claims. Go and make them outside where you can be held to account for what you say about them. Mr Speaker, I note that they are essentially cowards and will not do that. That is why I think this debate has to take place in another forum out in the community where the facts are the issue, not unsubstantiated allegation.

MR SPEAKER: Ms Tucker, you have one minute.

MS TUCKER (4.51): Okay. Very quickly, I just want to respond to some of the arguments that have been put up. The question is not who did these reports, or where they were done. It is how well they were done. There are concerns about how well this report has met the terms of reference that were described, particularly in respect of the wider needs of the community, for the gambling industry to be carefully monitored, the social impacts that may arise, the merits of any community service obligations, and the best means of funding and delivering these services.

I do not believe that there is sufficient evidence in this report to have reached the conclusions that were reached within it, and for that reason I also am prepared to stand up and express concern. I am also quite happy to say that outside this place. I think that there are flaws in how the terms of reference have been met, and it is difficult to make an opinion on this issue, the sale of ACTTAB, with such a lack of information in these particular areas which are very important.

MR SPEAKER: The time for the discussion has now expired.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make an explanation under standing order 47.

MR SPEAKER: Proceed.

MR CORBELL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. During the debate the Chief Minister suggested that I said that the consultants had ignored the terms of reference for the ACTTAB scoping study report. That is untrue. I did not say that. Also, during the debate Mr Humphries said that I had said that the consultants had ridden roughshod over other submissions. That is also untrue. I did not say that.

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