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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 11 Hansard (8 December) . . Page.. 3286 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

Page 2, line 11, clause 5, paragraph (a), omit "On 25 December 1999", substitute "On 31 August 1999".

Page 2, line 14, clause 5, paragraph (b), omit "25 December 1999", substitute "31 August 1999".

These amendments deal with the timeline on the enactment of the sunset clause. I understand that the Government is proposing to extend the sunset clause to 25 December. I propose, instead, that the sunset clause take effect on 31 August next year. I am disappointed that all the Minister could say in response to concerns expressed by the Labor Party, the Greens and Mr Moore as to why they had not got their act together was: "Well, it took a bit of time to get across the portfolio and then we had to talk to Professor Nicholls".

I do not think that that is a very satisfactory answer. In fact, I think it is a completely unsatisfactory answer. This is the Minister for planning. He has responsibility for the efficient and good planning of Canberra. He has responsibility for ensuring that issues to do with betterment are dealt with in an appropriate fashion. And all he can say in response to the concern and criticism raised by other members in this place about why it has taken them so long to get this study under way is: "It took me a while to get across my portfolio". What about the preceding 12 to 16 months when he was not the Minister? What happened then? What was Mr Humphries doing? He was the Minister for Planning. What was going on? Was he doing anything on it? Now, I do not expect Mr Humphries necessarily to stand up here and explain that, because he is not the Minister for Planning anymore. Mr Smyth is the Minister for planning. He is the Minister for planning in this Government.

Mr Kaine: You know what happens on that. It was at the bottom of Mr Humphries' in-tray.

MR CORBELL: It was at the bottom of Mr Humphries' in-tray? You mean he forgot, Trevor? He was not interested.

Mr Berry: No, no, no; he did not get around to it.

MR CORBELL: He did not get around to it; that is different. Mr Berry is quite right. There is a big difference between forgetting and just not getting around to it.

Mr Berry: He just could not get past the one on top of his in-tray.

MR CORBELL: Maybe that was what was going on. But seriously, Mr Deputy Speaker, it is just not a good enough answer. It is not good enough for the Minister to say, "I was not across my portfolio, and that is the reason we have not done it". What does that say about his capacity as Minister in a whole range of other areas?

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