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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 10 Hansard (26 November) . . Page.. 3149 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

We now have an inquiry of sorts. The Labor Party is willing to work genuinely with other members of the Assembly on that committee to investigate issues around the superannuation liability. It is not our preferred position, but we are prepared to do it, in the interests of the debate and in the interests of the future of ACTEW and the ACT. We are prepared to be constructive about it. We have got nothing to be afraid of. We are prepared to tackle the issue head on, and we will.

I look forward to Mr Quinlan's participation in the committee. It will be constructive. We will show that there are many other ways of meeting the issue facing us in relation to the superannuation liability, as pointed out to us by Towers Perrin. It is there. We simply need to look at it, not to be afraid to go forward, and to put the best interests of the ACT first. I commend this motion to members of the Assembly. I am truly dismayed that it has taken this level of conflict to get us to the point that we are at now.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Pursuant to the resolution of the Assembly of today, 26 November 1998, I have been notified in writing by Mr Humphries, the leader of the house, of the nominations of Mr Hird, Mr Osborne, Ms Tucker, Mr Kaine and Mr Quinlan to be members of the Select Committee on the Territory's Superannuation Commitments.

Mr Osborne: I think you should read the motion and count the nominees.

Ms Carnell: I think there are only supposed to be two crossbenchers, and you have got three. So we have got to vote.

Ms Tucker: We have all nominated. So we have to vote.

Mr Moore: Yes, we have to vote now. We have to have a ballot.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: There being more nominations than there are places, the Assembly shall proceed to a ballot.

Mr Moore: Unless somebody wants to withdraw. You realise how much time ballots take.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I draw members' attention to standing order 267 which deals with the manner of taking a ballot, which we will undertake shortly. It states:

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