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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (29 February) . . Page.. 351 ..

Ms Carnell: That is not true.

Mr Stanhope: Oh, he was lying?

Ms Carnell: No. Gawd, you are a smart-arse.

Mr Stanhope: Who is a smart-arse?

MR SPEAKER: You are pushing your luck, Mr Stanhope.

Mr Stanhope: Mr Speaker, I am responding to the Chief Minister. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

MR SPEAKER: I do not want any response at all. Would you both mind not interjecting and exchanging comment across the chamber?

MR OSBORNE: My question is to the Treasurer, Mr Humphries. Minister, last year when the Government called for expressions of interest for some kind of future business arrangement with ACTEW, were any received for a joint venture or purchase agreement for the retail arm of ACTEW only, similar to AGL's electricity interests in South Australia? If so, why were they rejected?

MR HUMPHRIES: I do not know the answer to that question. I will take it on notice. As I have explained before, the ACTEW board handled the process of receiving the expressions of interest and considering their worth. I do not recall such an expression. I might remind members that, without naming the organisations, we published a list - Mr Quinlan appears to have a copy there - explaining the nature of the offer that was made by each of the parties that were seeking some kind of commercial relationship with ACTEW. I will check that list. I will take the question on notice.

MR OSBORNE: I ask a supplementary question. You might have to take this on notice too, Minister. I hope that Mr Mackay is listening. Given that it is the retail arm of ACTEW that has the most doubt about its future viability, has ACTEW or the Government exclusively pursued this option? You can take that on notice as well.

MR HUMPHRIES: I will take it on notice, Mr Speaker.

MR QUINLAN: I think Mr Osborne just asked my question. Maybe if I ask my question we will get an answer to some of his question. Can the Treasurer confirm that AGL, amongst its several expressions of interest relating to the future arrangements for ACTEW, as option No. 1 proposed a retail joint venture that included customer services to water and sewerage operations and that this, it was quoted, provided risk reduction and cost synergies? I recall that the evaluators stated that this met the criteria set but

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