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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 9 Hansard (1 September) . . Page.. 2760 ..

MR BERRY (6.06): Mr Speaker, a few days ago I asked the Chief Minister a question about government expenditure on the collection and return of an unregistered motor vehicle. I understood that $300 was outstanding. I asked the Chief Minister whether she would check to make sure that that figure was the full amount and whether or not a bill had been sent to the person involved. I also asked whether the person had paid the bill. I want to make it clear that I am not going to drop off this issue. I see some petty corruption within the system somewhere, and somebody has to get to the bottom of it. This is like fixing a parking ticket. You have heard how this has impacted on lawyers.

Ms Carnell: I answered the question.

MR BERRY: You answered it in the context of question time. I want a complete answer. What is owed, what has been paid and when will it be fixed up? I do not care if you are prepared to take it on notice and give me the advice tomorrow. Has the money been paid or not?

Ms Carnell: I told you that no bill was issued.

MR BERRY: Mrs Carnell tells us that no bill was issued. Has the person involved offered to pay?

Ms Carnell: He has not got a bill.

MR BERRY: As I said to you the other day, there has been a cost to the ACT which is outstanding. Something has happened within the system which I am going to get to the bottom of somehow. Until I do I am going to keep raising the matter in this place. I would like you to bear that in mind. I am happy for you to rise and get stuck into me, but it is not going to send this matter away. I want to get to the bottom of it.

Ms Carnell: I do not mind if you waste every question time.

MR BERRY: This is not question time. Tomorrow night I will be doing the same thing if I have not got a full and complete answer to everything that happened.

MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services) (6.08): Mr Speaker, some very important information has come to my attention about how parliamentary standards are observed in Raleigh, North Carolina. I read a small news item:

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