Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 8 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 2544 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

transparency, level playing fields, making sure the process was open in the public arena-all of those sorts of things-which is exactly what has happened with 56. What happened is that QIC won the tender on a level playing field. If you remember, that was quite a long tender process with the tender plans and so on being put out for public consultation, with people being able to have input and so on.

I would be very concerned if Mr Rugendyke was suggesting that the government superimposed itself on a public tender and consultation process. What has happened at this stage is they won it fair and square. As Mr Rugendyke would be aware, the government has no capacity under the Australian Constitution and also agreements between states to favour local businesses over and above national businesses. If we did-and boy it is really tempting to do it sometimes-we would be the losers because our companies export more than they import. The net downside for Canberra businesses would be extreme the moment our companies were excluded from business in Queensland because we excluded Queensland companies from the ACT. This would similarly apply to New South Wales or Victoria.

The fact is that our businesses are doing a much bigger percentage of their business interstate than we are importing. On that basis we simply cannot afford under any circumstances to favour our businesses unfairly over businesses from interstate, because at the end of the day we would be the losers.

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.

MR MOORE: Mr Wood asked me a question during question time. I have a little bit more information for him. This week when the Junction is closed down young people will be referred to Youth in the City. For the next three months the Junction will remain at QEII and then it will be, as I correctly indicated, at the Anglicare city location.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to draw attention to a couple of media reports on crime statistics and to table them in the Assembly.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: is this a personal explanation under the standing orders?

MR BERRY: No. I have sought leave to draw attention to a couple of media reports in relation to crime statistics, and I will table them.

Leave granted.

MR BERRY: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will draw attention to these. "No go area-Terror stalks Civic after dark". Instigator, Kate Carnell. I table that. I also draw attention to "Cuts put women at greater risk of attack, says Carnell". I table the following papers:

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .