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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 4 Hansard (27 March) . . Page.. 930 ..

Canberra National Multicultural Festival-Mr Domenic Mico

MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Smyth, the minister for the arts. Minister, in a media statement today you have indicated that the government looks forward to the Canberra National Multicultural Festival's ongoing success. In view of that support, and in view of the Chief Minister's strong approval of the festival and of Mr Mico himself, how could you allow Mr Mico to be sacked?

MR SMYTH: The reality is that Mr Mico has not been sacked. His contract will be paid out until the end of his term of employment, which is the end of June. There are many contracts across the ACT. For many types of employment, when contracts come to an end, often they are not renewed. This contract will not be renewed.

MR WOOD: What a fudging! I take it he will get his car back and the keys to his office?

Mr Moore: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. That is a preamble. Perhaps you should sit Mr Wood down.

MR SPEAKER: I appreciate that. I was about to pull Mr Wood up. No preamble, Mr Wood.

MR WOOD: I cannot talk about the fudging of that answer. All right. I will not talk about the fudging of that answer.

MR SPEAKER: Don't be smart.

MR WOOD: Minister, the government has removed the National Multicultural Festival from CTEC, just as Mr Mico suggested in quite moderate terms. You have acknowledged that he was right. Will you now apologise to Mr Mico and-no more fudging-will you reinstate him?

MR SMYTH: Mr Wood is wrong in his assertion that the government has removed the Canberra National Multicultural Festival from CTEC.

Hare-Clark electoral system-women candidates

MRS BURKE: My question is to the Chief Minister in his capacity as minister for women's affairs. Chief Minister, I refer to recent comments from the secretary of the ACT ALP, Mr Michael Kerrisk, and member for Ginninderra Mr Berry to the effect that the Hare-Clark electoral system is not fair to women. Are you aware of any elements in the Electoral Act that would work against women candidates?

MR HUMPHRIES: No, I am not aware of any such elements. It seems to me that the Hare-Clark electoral system has enormous advantages for any community that wants to have a parliament elected on a strictly proportional basis, a strictly representational basis. I am not aware of any electoral system which has such a strong capacity to reflect the percentages cast for candidates into the representation of those candidates in the parliament.

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