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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 9 Hansard (7 September) . . Page.. 2985 ..
MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr Berry: I would like to know whether she is going to make them available or not.
MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order, and if you try that again you may find yourself out.
Mr Kaine: Could I have a answer yes or no, Mr Speaker, or am I going to be fobbed off, or threatened with legal action because it is potentially defamatory?
MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order, Mr Kaine. The Chief Minister is answering the question as she sees fit.
MS CARNELL: I am, Mr Speaker. The board at CTEC did not ask me for my approval to go down this path, nor should they have asked. I defend their right and their responsibility to protect the good name of the corporation. I am absolutely amazed that anybody in this place would see it any differently.
MR QUINLAN: My question is to the Treasurer, and it relates to the partial privatisation of ACTEW through the medium of a joint venture with AGL. The Canberra Times has today published an article by regular economics commentator Peter Urban on the subject. For the record, Mr Urban is a relatively dry economist when it comes to the activities of government. Amongst other criticisms-and I will have to read some of this out for the non-readers of the Canberra Times-the article includes the observation:
... that the Carnell government has set a new low standard for the process of privatising public assets.
He further asserts-and I quote for those who do not read the local press:
While there is a case for selling Actew's retail electricity business-it is a fairly risky business-Actew's other businesses are in good shape, low risk and generating profits.
He goes on to point out:
The pattern of urban infill in Canberra offers remarkable profit-growth opportunities for Actew's water, sewerage and electricity transmission businesses.
I have to say, Mr Speaker, that I do not agree with some of what Mr Urban says or implies about the process of creating joint ventures. I am reasonably satisfied with the basic valuation process for individual assets, although I have stood in this place-
Mr Humphries: This is not a question.
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