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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 3 Hansard (7 March) . . Page.. 607 ..
MR HIRD: Mr Speaker, could I rephrase the tail and just say: Is the Treasurer aware of a media release from an organisation known as the Australia Institute which claims that there is no benefit from the proposed joint venture partnership between ACTEW and AGL? Is there any evidence of this?
MR SPEAKER: That I can allow, but I cannot ask him to speak on behalf of the Australia Institute.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Hird for that question in whatever form it finally got to me. Mr Speaker, I have already been asked in one question today to comment on the Australia Institute's report and I am being asked to do so again in another form at the moment, so I think it is fair that I do so.
Mr Berry: No, no, he said, "Is there any evidence?".
MR HUMPHRIES: The question I am going to answer is: What evidence is there for the claims that have been made by the Australia Institute? Let us remember what the Australia Institute has said in recent days as a contributor to public debate in this country. The Australia Institute has claimed that 65 people will die each year as a result of the introduction of the goods and services tax. I quote from a media release they issued a few months ago:
At least 65 more people will die each year due to increased air pollution and traffic accidents if the Government's proposed changes to fuel prices and the GST package go ahead, according to evidence given today to a Senate committee into the GST.
Mr Kaine: I rise to a point of order, Mr Speaker. I must draw attention to standing order 118. Is that relevant to the question? Is it pertinent to the question?
Ms Carnell: But it was pretty funny. Isn't entertainment value worth something?
MR SPEAKER: I am sorry, but I do have to uphold Mr Kaine's point of order. It is amazing, but - - -
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, Mr Speaker. I would simply say that if you get higher prices you should thank the Australia Institute as it is for our own good that we are paying higher petrol prices. The fact is that it is very difficult to understand a number of the claims made in the Australia Institute's report, if you can call the five-page document that they have issued a report, on the proposed joint venture between ACTEW and AGL. Mr Speaker, we heard from Mr Stanhope yesterday that 10 per cent - I think it was one per cent in the Assembly yesterday, but it was 10 per cent in the paper - of the - - -
Mr Stanhope: It was never one per cent.
MR HUMPHRIES
: I seem to recall a question about how Californian suppliers experienced only a one per cent shift in their customer base. It was last Thursday that you said that. In the paper yesterday you said only 10 per cent of the business is at risk. The
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