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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 2 Hansard (10 March) . . Page.. 525 ..

MS CARNELL

No. Nobody can show a situation where there is a problem at this moment, yet Ms Tucker's letter has shown categorically how this Bill could produce a problem down the track.

Mr Speaker, I leave it at that and ask members to think extremely seriously. If, because of this legislation, we lose one person with the credentials of Jim Service we have done a disservice to the Canberra community - for no gain, because there is no indication of a problem. I will quote again Ms Tucker's comments, just to finish. Ms Tucker says:

In relation to the proposed new part-time members the committee seeks additional information. Would you please provide details of how the community was advised of the vacancies and the process for calling for nominations. Would you please advise the names of other people who were considered and their qualifications for the positions.

Categorically, Mr Speaker, I do not have to debate this issue; Ms Tucker has done it for me. She has shown why this Bill is stupid.

MR SPEAKER: I call Ms Tucker.

MS TUCKER (3.41): Well, okay. I had not stood up.

Mr Quinlan: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Is the Chief Minister going to move her amendment, or are we going to get another speech?

MR SPEAKER: It will be moved in the detail stage, Mr Quinlan. Ms Tucker did rise simultaneously with the Chief Minister, and I am giving her the call now.

MS TUCKER: I am speaking to the Bill, but I will speak to Mrs Carnell's amendment as well.

MR SPEAKER: We are still debating the in-principle stage.

MS TUCKER: I will be supporting this Bill because it is consistent with efforts that I made in the previous Assembly to improve the legislative provisions that govern the operations of Territory owned corporations. Mr Quinlan may not be aware that in mid-1996 I tabled a private members Bill to amend the Territory Owned Corporations Act. My Bill was also targeted at the appointment of board members, because it is quite clear that the make-up of a board of a particular corporation can have a major influence on the corporation's priorities and performance.

My Bill went further than Mr Quinlan's, however, in that I wanted the boards to specifically include two members who represented the interests of the customers and the employees of the corporations. In addition, where the corporation's operations had environmental impacts, such as ACTEW and Totalcare, I also wanted a person on the board who had environmental expertise. These three specified board members would have been nominated by the relevant peak community organisations in these areas. This move was to inject some real industrial democracy into the operations of Territory owned

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