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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 6 Hansard (15 June) . . Page.. 1867 ..


MR BERRY: Mr Humphries interjects, "On Totalcare's advice." I am afraid not, Mr Humphries. Totalcare advise that they should hold up to 50 per cent. You said that they had to hold no more than 50 per cent. That is the difference.

Mr Moore: Questions shall be brief.

MR SPEAKER: I am just wondering when we are going to get to the question, Mr Berry. If you want to make a statement at some time you can ask for leave.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I was responding to an interjection. I will give the Chief Minister the opportunity now to deny that there are any moves to sell all or part of the remaining part of the government's ownership of the Williamsdale quarry.

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, I deny it.

MR BERRY: This is my supplementary question. This is the bit that I was telling you about earlier. How does the minister respond to this question: "Has CSR or Boral made any moves towards Totalcare?" and this answer: "The quarry has ongoing discussions with key players in the industry and these discussions are commercial-in-confidence"? That was a question that was put to the chair of the Williamsdale quarry and that was his answer. His answer was: "The quarry has ongoing discussions with key players in the industry and these discussions are commercial-in-confidence." How do you respond to that, Chief Minister?

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, you can have lots of discussions about lots of commercial matters. That does not imply that the discussion is about sale. Mr Speaker, I am not aware of any moves on the part of Totalcare to divest itself of any part of the Williamsdale quarry. The government certainly has no advice of contemplation even of such an idea on the part of Totalcare. The government has no desire to see the quarry divested by Totalcare because it is a very profitable part of Totalcare's operations.

Disability services inquiry

MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, what was the intention of Mr Gallop in providing you with an interim report of his inquiry into disability services? Was it for you to lock it away in a safe and dark place so that its contents and the need for any action remain unknown? Don't you give credit that a person of Mr Gallop's long and distinguished legal experience has the capacity to provide a report that avoids legal problems, though not perhaps administrative problems for your government?

MR SPEAKER: We are very deeply into standing order 117 (b).

Mr Wood: What is that?

Mr Smyth: Are you asking for an opinion?

MR HUMPHRIES: I cannot speculate about Mr Gallop's intentions, Mr Speaker. I have answered the-


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