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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (29 February) . . Page.. 359 ..
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Humphries in his capacity as Treasurer. Treasurer, again today you have said that the final details on the sale of the Territory's assets will not be made available until the necessary legislation facilitating a sale is passed. What you say to us, Mr Humphries, is: "Trust us". For somebody who has behind them a Bruce Stadium, a hospital implosion, a Kingston-Acton land swap, Kinlyside and a failed sale of ACTEW, how can you stand up in this place and say, "Trust us."? How can you say in this place, "Trust us" when you have a record with baggage like that? After the last attempt to sell ACTEW, which failed dismally, how can you say to us, "Trust us" when you have kept so much secret from this place in the past? How can workers be assured that they will keep their jobs when you keep these sorts of secrets on the basis that you want us to give you a tick first?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, the irony is unbelievable. I think my answer can be summarised by saying nothing other than reading a letter dated 21 December 1993, under the heading "ACT Government, Wayne Berry MLA, Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Health, Minister for Sport":
Dear Mr De Domenico
That is overwritten with "Tony". Very friendly. It goes on to say:
I have had referred to me your request for the remission of the application fee and non-imposition of processing charges in relation to the matter of the contract between VITAB and ACT TAB.
You sought remission on public interest grounds.
On this occasion I have decided not to remit the application fee and to impose charges for the processing of the request.
Mr Berry: What is the point? The question I asked was in relation to ACTEW.
MR HUMPHRIES: You asked about secrecy.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, there was "secrecy" in the question, and I think Mr Humphries is probably addressing that point first.
MR HUMPHRIES: Absolutely, Mr Speaker. It was about secrecy.
Mr Stanhope: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Treasurer's response to a question about the future of workers at ACTEW deserves a more serious response than this nonsense. Mr Berry has asked the Treasurer to give some assurances about those workers at ACTEW whose futures are seriously affected by the proposed AGL sell-out. The question asked by Mr Berry, about the futures, the lives, of the families of the 1,000 people employed at ACTEW, deserves a more serious response than this from the Treasurer.
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