Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 2062 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

... Mr Santi did claim that he put options to the Government that they would like to negotiate on. I have checked with Mr Thurston -

this was yesterday -

the head of ACTION, and as yet we have received no firm offers from the TWU at all.

Ms Carnell: That is true.

MR STANHOPE: The Chief Minister interjects, "That is true". Mr Rugendyke asked a supplementary question on the same subject. The Minister repeated his claim:

I said the other day, when I announced that the Government would be seeking expressions of interest for the tendering out of the management of ACTION, that of course we would continue to negotiate with the TWU. We believe that negotiations should continue, but I am yet to hear from the TWU.

Do you stand by that, Minister?

Mr Smyth: At that time, it was correct.

MR STANHOPE: No doubt, Minister, you would then be happy for me to table a letter of yesterday's date from Mr Guy Thurston to Mr Santi following up on the discussions held on Monday on a whole range of issues put by the TWU to the Government. So, Minister, do you stand by your statement in question time yesterday?

Mr Smyth: I certainly do. I have not seen that or received it and a position has not been achieved.

MR STANHOPE: Oh, you have not seen it! But, Minister, yesterday you told us that you had checked with Mr Thurston. Did Mr Thurston lie to you, Minister, or did you lie to us? How can the TWU expect anything from you - any sense of integrity from you - in its negotiations? You stand up in this place and bag them to death, and it is all crap.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, do you want to table those?

MR STANHOPE: I do want to table those.

Leave granted.

MR STANHOPE: Yesterday the Minister told us that he had checked with Mr Thurston and that Mr Thurston had not heard from the TWU, when Mr Thurston was sitting down at a table with Mr Santi the day before, negotiating a whole raft of amendments to the EBA suggested by the TWU. Do you wish to stand up now and apologise, Minister?

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .