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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 4 Hansard (30 March) . . Page.. 1131 ..
MR SPEAKER: Thank you.
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I am even prepared to say that they were probably less than delighted to be associated with these particular issues.
Mr Moore: It is a matter of opinion. It is conjecture. Sit him down, Mr Speaker.
MR BERRY: What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say that they were delighted to be associated?
MR SPEAKER: I do not want you to say anything. I want you simply to ask your question.
MR BERRY: These people appear, on the face of it, to be casualties of the mismanagement of the Chief Minister in respect of all of these matters to which I have referred. What is wrong, Chief Minister? Is it the selection process? Is it the workplace environment these people have to work in? Is it a more serious malaise? Or is it just that all of these public servants are scapegoats for your mismanagement?
Mr Moore: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. Standing orders 117(b)(vi) and (vii) refer to ironic expressions and hypothetical matters. This question is just so far out of order.
MR SPEAKER: I will allow the question.
MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, do you know why public servants leave? It is because they get offered better jobs. I think it is absolutely wonderful that we have public servants of such calibre that they get offered jobs with SOCOG, heading up the National Capital Authority, with merchant bankers on double the money and in the private sector on significantly more dollars than they were on here. I would hope that we continue to have people who are in demand in other jurisdictions and by the private sector. That is exactly what we want to continue.
Mr Berry seems to be indicating that the previous Government did not have anybody that anybody else wanted. That is very sad. But it is not the case. People left under the previous Government too to go to other jobs. That is just part of any workplace environment.
It is also true that at this time quite a number of contracts are falling due, at which stage people may choose to go on to other options. That is just part of the workplace. I am always pleased when people are offered jobs on better money, promotions and so on. Is it not wonderful that Mr Tonkin is the first senior Federal public servant to choose to take a job in the ACT? I think that is a big tick to the ACT.
MR BERRY
: What about Bill Harris? You forgot that one. I have a supplementary question for the Chief Minister. Do you support Mr Tonkin's reported comments that five years was long enough in any job? According to the Canberra Times, he said, "Five
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