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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 8 Hansard (7 August) . . Page.. 2462 ..

MR MOORE: Before you do, Mr Speaker, it is important-

MR SPEAKER: Order! Ministers are not responsible for Labor Party policy. Furthermore, if the matter is before Ms Tucker's committee, then that aspect of it cannot be answered either.

MR MOORE: The standing order refers only to questions about proceedings within a committee. Very clearly, the question is not in breach of that standing order. Secondly, my response was generated by a Labor Party announcement. I do have responsibility for corrections. I am answering the question in terms of corrections.

MR SPEAKER: But not in terms of Labor Party policy.

MR MOORE: The question was about whether it is appropriate to keep Quamby within corrections. The coroner recommended that it was.

Canberra Means Business campaign

MR QUINLAN: My question is to the Minister for Business, Tourism and the Arts. I have recently noticed, Minister, a television campaign that advertises quite frequently about what government can do for business. More recently, I have received in my post office box something that says, "Canberra means business." I think it purports to be information for business but, in the main, it reads like a campaign document.

It talks about the government maintaining a secure and safe working environment, fighting crime and what the government can do for people generally. I know that you admire John Winston Howard, and it may well be that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but has the government recently taken the decision to spend taxpayers' dollars at a higher rate, close to the election, than it normally does, to inform its constituents what it can do for them? How much does the television campaign cost, how much have the glossies cost, and what else is being expended on the "Canberra means business" campaign at this time in the election cycle?

MR SMYTH: How anti small business those people on those benches opposite are, because whenever we do anything for the benefit of business-telling business what is available to assist them, what opportunities will exist in the future, or what government programs are there to help them-those opposite have to call into question the spending of the money.

I will find out for the member how much the campaign has cost, but the campaign is based on the fact that small business said they wanted to know what it was that government offered them. We actually speak to all sectors of the community, including the small business community, and what we have produced in the "Canberra means business" brochure is a comprehensive coverage of all the government programs, of opportunities that exist, and of areas from other departments that have input into making business more successful in the ACT.

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