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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (23 May) . . Page.. 1575 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

I had a letter from a retailer recently about how much more light now gets into her business premises. She has noticed that people come in and say that the shelters are far more effective in what they do but also enhance the look of the place and increase her business. All the concerns one would address in refurbishing the Civic bus interchange have been taken into account. Ultimately, the interchange will function much better. It looks much better already. This government will continue to build up the essence of what it is that makes Canberra a great place to live. We will hear from the Treasurer shortly about how we are going to achieve that.

MS TUCKER: My question is to Mr Humphries. Mr Humphries, could you tell the Assembly exactly what stage the Internet licences you issued are at? In other words, have they gone through all the stages and are they working now? Could you explain for the Assembly the process by which you issued those licences and the stage they are at?

MR HUMPHRIES: Two licences were issued last week, one to Tattersalls, the other to ACTTAB. The process leading up to the issuing of those licences took some time, close to 18 months in the case of Tattersalls, not quite as long in the case of ACTTAB. Both licences were issued according to the legislation last week. I did see a report in the paper that there was some problem and that the process of implementation had not been fully completed or that the licences had not been issued. That is not the case. Both licences are fully issued and fully available now to the licensees to operate. What stage each licensee has reached in being able to start their service I do not know. I would imagine that neither has yet begun their service based on the licence, but I would expect that to happen relatively soon.

MS TUCKER: I ask a supplementary question. Just for clarification, what you are saying is that you have given them licences but you do not know whether they are ready to go yet or are capable of going yet?

MR HUMPHRIES: It has taken quite a long time to get to the stage of issuing the licences-some months-and I imagine that neither company was ready to flick the switch on day one, which was last week, but I imagine it will not take very long before either licensee is operational.

MR OSBORNE: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table Scrutiny Report No 8 of the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety, incorporating the duties of a scrutiny of bills and subordinate legislation committee.

Leave granted.

MR OSBORNE: I present Scrutiny Report No 8.

MR SPEAKER: It being 3 o'clock, in accordance with the resolution agreed to earlier this day, I call the Treasurer.

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