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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (29 February) . . Page.. 358 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, much more secretive, much more costly, much slower, and politically motivated, I would have thought. To conclude, Mr Stanhope asked how this information was obtained by my office. The documents concerned were left in the drawers of my office at the time that the previous Government vacated the office.

MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, my question, through you, is to the Chief Minister. It concerns the quarterly ministerial travel report which she tabled in this place only a couple of weeks ago. To be more precise, it concerns what I think might be a possible omission from this report. I can find no reference in it to the infamous Qantas slush fund which the Chief Minister and certain members of her staff have been wont to dip into from time to time. It does not even mention when the Chief Minister went to Melbourne for the 1999 tourism awards. My question to the Chief Minister is: What on earth has happened suddenly to the Qantas slush fund, variously know by the euphemisms of promote ACT fund and travel assistance fund? Has this special fund, available to only a select few, simply not been utilised in the last few months or has it been axed quietly? If the latter, what was done with the balance of funds in the account?

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, it has not been axed. It still exists and it is used when we are promoting the ACT. It is that simple. A trip to the tourism awards by the tourism Minister would not normally be regarded as a promote ACT effort. It would be part of my ministerial role, as going to other ministerial events would be for me and for my ministerial colleagues. The promote ACT fund is used to do that - to promote the ACT. It has been used in the last few weeks. I know, because I have done a number of board room lunches and dinners in Sydney. Guess what? We used the promote ACT fund.

MR KAINE: I ask a supplementary question. I noticed in earlier quarterly reports, Mr Speaker, that similar visits to Sydney were included. However, I will leave that ride. My supplementary question is: When the arrangements with Qantas are extended - and I understand that you are negotiating for an extension of the present arrangements - do you intend also to extend this restricted access to the travel assistance plan?

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, it is not restrictive access. As I have said many times, it is for anybody who would like to apply. Public servants use it; other Ministers use it. If members of the crossbenches are promoting the ACT - I would have to be convinced it was positive, but for all of that I am very happy to be convinced - the promote ACT fund can be used. It is quite that simple. I think it is a very important part of the travel contract that we have with Qantas. It was, I understand, one of the benefits that flowed from the last contract. Yes, at this stage we are looking at extending the contract with Qantas but for only a very short period of time until the current airline situation pans out a bit. We do not want to go into a new contract when the whole basis of domestic airline fares in Australia may change over the next 12 months or so.

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