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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 2 Hansard (28 February) . . Page.. 427 ..
Mr Stanhope: We'd say no.
MR HUMPHRIES: Of course you would say no.
Mr Stanhope: It is in the guidelines.
MR HUMPHRIES: That is right, exactly, because it is political. If we said, "Help us bring down the Stanhope Labor government and help us make them deliver on their promises for extra money for multicultural broadcasting," you would say, "No, that is in conflict with government policies, programs and activities and you are not putting an ad in to that effect. You are not putting that into our government advertising. That accords with the guidelines." What is unreasonable about these guidelines? These guidelines are quite reasonable, it seems to me. They reflect the advertising that any organisation would want to put in place. You do not attack the organisation that is providing a vehicle for the advertising. That seems to me to be commonsense.
Mr Speaker, as I say, the government-the ministers or I personally-had no role in this decision. It was made by the public service at the level of the chief executive. He wrote back to Mr Ron Johnson of the Australian Nursing Federation. Mr Berry said that no reasons were given. It seems to me that there are quite clearly reasons given in this letter, and I quote:
These guidelines advise that potential non government advertisers; their products and their advertising material will be carefully vetted to ensure that the material is appropriate and there is no conflict with Government policies, programs or activities.
At this time, and because of the contentious position the Australian Nurses Federation has taken in relation to the current Government pay offer I do not believe it would be appropriate for me to agree to the message you have proposed.
Mr Speaker, I table that letter and I table the guidelines. I present the following papers:
Advertising on ACT Government payslips-
Advertising in ACT Government Publications-Guidelines prepared by Publishing and Shopfront Services (last updated 15 September 2000), dated 27 February 2001.
Copy of letter from Chief Executive, Chief Minister's Department to Organiser, Australian Nursing Federation, dated 22 February 2001.
I have a copy of what the nurses propose to include in their advertisement at the bottom of the pay slip. According to Colleen Duff's letter to me of 23 February, it would have read as follows:
The Australian Nursing Federation ACT Branch vigorously represents ACT nurses on industrial relations issues. All non-union nurses are encouraged to contact ANF office ... for details on joining your union or alternatively making a contribution to our campaign.
Mr Speaker, I assume the campaign being referred to there is the campaign against the government's position on wages and conditions. I ask members to use the test: in a reverse situation, would a body that was in conflict with an ACT Labor government be
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