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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 3 Hansard (9 March) . . Page.. 800 ..

ACTEW - Job Losses

MR HUMPHRIES: In question time today, I had a question from Mr Berry on meetings with unions about the proposals that were affecting AGL and ACTEW. I understand that there have been three meetings between unions and ACTEW since just before Christmas. At each of these meetings the unions demanded a job guarantee and that has now been given.

MR SPEAKER: Can you confirm how many questions or replies you tabled? You tabled one, was it?

MR HUMPHRIES: I tabled one and I gave information about a question I was asked today in question time.

MR SPEAKER: Fine, thank you.

PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS

MR HUMPHRIES (Treasurer, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Community Safety): I present a copy of an article from the Sunday Canberra Times of 28 June 1998, which quotes Mr Quinlan as saying that, while he was opposed to the privatisation of public assets, particularly those that provide essential services, the party had to take account of the practicalities of the debate. He said that, in terms of ACTEW, any sale should consider the electricity retail arm of the organisation separately from the water and sewerage functions and from the electricity infrastructure. Mr Quinlan said retail electricity was the only part of ACTEW already under threat and he did not rule out its sale.

The article goes on to report that Mr Quinlan's position was defeated at the conference. Mr Quinlan might be able to explain later on how it came about that he took that position but was defeated on it when it came to the conference of the ALP.

MR QUINLAN: Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, proceed.

MR QUINLAN: In answering one of the questions, Mr Humphries, the Treasurer, implied that I had argued at an ALP conference that we should consider disposal of public assets. It is to the credit of the ALP that we do have open conferences. The truth is that I did argue for strategic alliances in relation to the electricity retail - not public assets - and I am doing the same today.

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