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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 11 Hansard (8 December) . . Page.. 3204 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

need a privatised electricity operation to do that, and we all understand that. So, when we hear claims from the Government like that, that electricity prices fall because the Victorian Parliament legislates for them to fall and therefore that is the benefit of competition, let us just take it with a weeny grain of salt, shall we. Let us do that, because it is just nonsense.

To conclude, this Bill is far-reaching and powerful. It should not be passed in any rush, certainly not without due consideration and consultation on the detail. We say that the Assembly has already expressed its view on this issue, that is, that there must be a more effective and closer examination of the issues, particularly in relation to superannuation and the regulatory regime. Mr Speaker, if this Assembly agrees today to pass the Bill, even in principle, we will have sold ACTEW. It is that simple. If we pass the Bill in principle, the Chief Minister will walk out of this place this afternoon and say, "I have in-principle support for the sale of ACTEW".

Ms Carnell: Yes.

MR CORBELL: She is nodding and saying yes. Mr Speaker, if we pass the Bill in principle, we will have sold ACTEW; it is that simple. For all the reasons that I have outlined and for all the concerns that I have outlined, we must not do that today.

Debate interrupted.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

ACT Hospice Site

MR STANHOPE: My question is to Minister for Health and Community Care. In a media release dated 30 October, Senator Ian Macdonald, the Commonwealth Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government, said that once work begins on the National Museum the environment on Acton Peninsula "will become increasingly unsuitable for the Hospice operations". Given Senator Macdonald's comments, can the Minister tell the Assembly whether the Government has received any reply from the Federal Government to the ACT Government's request of 17 August for information about how construction of the National Museum would impact on the ACT hospice?

MR MOORE: A number of things have happened. I have sought a combined meeting with the Chief Minister and Senator Macdonald, but the Chief Minister also had an opportunity to speak to Senator Macdonald in the context of another meeting, as I understand it. At that time the Chief Minister raised the issue of the hospice because we are particularly concerned about the situation with the hospice. As you would be aware, I have written a number of times to the Federal Government trying to resolve the particular issue.

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