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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 5 Hansard (10 May) . . Page.. 1346 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I would love those opposite to explain why they seem to believe that it is in the public interest to have a breakdown of expenditure which does not contain information on individuals. I say to those members who are listening that this is an important issue. There is no doubt at all that documentation that is in the public interest should be released. But it is important for this Assembly to draw a line in respect of this sort of information that is put together by third parties, somebody that we are dealing with in a commercial way. If we start asking them for information "just because"-and that is what Mr Stanhope said when I asked him-

Mr Berry: No, he never said, "Just because".

MS CARNELL: When I asked him, "Why is this important, why is this in the public interest?" he said, quite simply, "Because it is about disclosure." But is it disclosure-

Mr Berry: That's right and keeping you accountable.

MS CARNELL: This is important, Mr Speaker. We go down the path of accountability and disclosure because that is in the public interest. But when we reach a situation where accountability and disclosure actually impact negatively on another party and there is no benefit to the public generally, have we not then stepped over the line? Have we not then started to release documentation, or be required to release documentation, that actually is a negative to a party that we deal with?

Mr Berry: We tell the world what we pay every individual doctor in our hospitals.

MS CARNELL: I will table this document. Mr Speaker it is interesting that Mr Berry is interjecting. Mr Berry was the health minister who would not release any information at all.

Mr Berry: About what?

MS CARNELL: On waiting lists; on anything else. I remember when this side of the house asked for information relating to Canberra Milk sponsorship of the Raiders. Remember the Canberra Milk Raiders? Mr Berry's comment at that time and on many other occasions was: "Don't be so stupid, that is commercial-in-confidence. That information, if released, could cause real problems to Canberra Milk in terms of its commercial relationship with the Raiders."

Mr Berry: You should have moved a motion then and required me to.

MS CARNELL: We did not because we accepted that if that information was on the table it would set a new benchmark for sponsorship at a particular level-

Mr Berry: No, it was not that. It was because you did not have the numbers and you knew it.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker could you please ask Mr Berry to be quiet.

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