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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 12 Hansard (24 November) . . Page.. 3591 ..
MR SMYTH (continuing):
move here today, Mr Speaker, because it is just not true. The Government is responding to what the coroner has said in his findings.
Mr Hargreaves then came to the stage and he had a few words to say about how he saw things. He said, "You have to take things into account; you have to be responsible", and "There is no doubt". Mr Speaker, I want to quote from page 482 of the report. Page 482 is quite interesting. The other attack today is that it was some sort of stunt. We have heard many times here today about the stunt that was done by Mrs Carnell, yet what the coroner says is quite clear. I will quote it. He said:
I do not agree with nor do I consider there is evidence to support the submission made by Counsel Assisting the Inquest to the effect "that the public event was organised with at least one purpose being to enhance the political prospects of the government".
Mr Speaker, those opposite should listen to what the coroner has said. Mr Hargreaves went on and said things like, "There was no risk assessment", and that we didn't know what we were doing when contracts were signed for the implosion. I will read again from page 482:
Mrs Carnell, the Chief Minister, was entitled to proceed and accept that the implosion was being competently performed in accordance with what she understood to be the implosion methods mentioned in the August 1995 Cabinet decision ...
Mr Speaker, the coroner can see it. Those opposite simply choose not to see it.
Mr Hargreaves went on to talk about things like duty and care, being responsible for your words, and sins of omission. I remind Mr Hargreaves of the thousands of phone calls that he invented, supposedly, on Active Australia Day back in 1998 when he said lots of people were booked and there was nobody booked that weekend. Then he said that, at the previous Tuggeranong Festival in 1997, hundreds of people must have been booked, and there were six in a 10-day period. If we are talking about credibility here, Mr Hargreaves ought to take on board the things that he says. He ought to answer to those first before he goes confusing what other people have done.
MR SPEAKER: The member's time has expired.
MR SMYTH: I seek just a short extension, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Is leave granted for another extension?
Mr Hargreaves: Give him as much rope as he wants.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you.
(Further extension of time granted)
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