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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 5 Hansard (5 May) . . Page.. 1361 ..
MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you very much for that comment, Mr Kaine, but if you look closely at what the issues are, if you have that opportunity, I think you would at least understand the grounds for my concern. Mr Speaker, I think it is appropriate to draw those matters to the attention of the Law Society. I am not sure what sort of trick question it is to say was I acting for the Bender family. I obviously was not acting for the Bender family. That was not my intention and it is not my duty to play that particular role. It is my duty to play the role of a person who advocates for high standards among solicitors and lawyers generally in this city.
I am surprised at the question in some ways. Certainly, in the past Mr Kaine would have been very quick to believe things that were said about this particular practitioner which were not very flattering. I am surprised that he apparently now believes that this particular practitioner deserves to be defended, irrespective of what the particular complaint might be about.
Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, Mr Kaine referred to some documents that he has. I wonder if he would mind tabling them.
MR SPEAKER: It is up to Mr Kaine to ask for leave to table them.
Mr Kaine: I have no objection to tabling the documentation. In fact, I seek leave to do so.
Leave granted.
MR QUINLAN: My question is to the Chief Minister and is in relation to forward estimates in the budget just brought down. I actually am seeking clarification, let me assure you. The forward estimates in the budget show a decline in the financial position of the superannuation insurance provision, aside from the partial relief provided by the capital repatriation from ACTEW. The statement of the financial position of the general government sector shows borrowing increasing next year by $266m, I think, to about $735m, and investments increasing by $356m to $916m. Projections for the Central Financing Unit show growth of up to $1.3 billion by the year 2003. Can the Chief Minister explain the strategy and would she consider it prudent to shift towards a more conservative position where borrowing is eliminated and our exposure to what I call corrections in equity and security markets are eliminated? If we can generate the levels of cash shown in these statements, why are we not dedicating superannuation collections from agencies to the superannuation and insurance fund?
MS CARNELL: Mr Quinlan, amongst other things he has asked, asks why we have gone down the path of moving the $300m from ACTEW across to the superannuation provision account. Of course, ACTEW will have to borrow that money. There is $266m of non-general government sector borrowing that is ACTEW's borrowing because ACTEW will obviously have to borrow the majority of that money. ACTEW does not have $300m floating around in its accounts. So the majority of the $300m will have to
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