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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (2 March) . . Page.. 522 ..

Mr Stanhope: It does. Of course it does.

MR HUMPHRIES: No, it does not, with respect. It matters to the superannuation account; that is true. If they use money from the equalisation payment - instead of coming to ACTEW, ACTEW uses it to buy a share in the power station - that is fine. It is obviously a benefit because ACTEW acquires another asset which, as I have said before, comes back to the Territory if and when the partnership is terminated; so it is an overall gain to the Territory to have that asset within its purview. If it does not do that, of course, the power station would be still constructed in the ACT and the benefits to the ACT would accrue, particularly insofar as having local generation of power is concerned and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is concerned.

MR SPEAKER: Do you have a supplementary question, Mr Berry?

MR BERRY: I have, Mr Speaker. Is the Treasurer aware of the existing oversupply of electricity on the national grid?

Mr Humphries: Is that your question?

MR BERRY: Are you also aware of ACTEW's previous rejection of a similar proposal to build a gas-fired generator in the ACT? Against that background, can you say why the corporation would consider entering the power generation business? Can you explain how ACTEW is reducing risk by becoming a player in an intrinsically risky business? How can you now say that you are responsible for managing this matter?

Ms Carnell: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I ask for you to rule on standing orders 117 and 119. We have had in question time today a question with seven parts and a supplementary question with four parts containing new information, which is out of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, can I rise on this point of order?

MR SPEAKER: No, you cannot.

Mr Corbell: Mr Speaker, before you rule on the point of order, I would invite you, if you do rule that questions need to be briefer than they are, to make a ruling also in relation to answers to questions being concise and confined to the subject matter of the questions.

Mr Berry: I rise in relation to this matter just to assist you, Mr Speaker. You might take into account that there was no protest about a particularly long question earlier and I do not know why the Government - - -

MR SPEAKER: Would you all resume your seats. I intend to make a statement on this matter at the end of question time. I have not made a statement halfway through in fairness to members who have not asked questions, but I can assure you that a statement will be made at the end of question time and, effective from next Tuesday, the standing order will be rigorously applied both to questions and to answers.

Mr Wood: Which standing order is that, standing order 118?

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