Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 8 Hansard (8 August) . . Page.. 2585 ..

MR QUINLAN: Excuse me. That is not the point that I am making. The point that I am making is that Mr Humphries claimed to be quoting me calling the budget surpluses "fantasies" and leading this place to believe that I had described the surpluses as "impossible". You have now watered that down to "optimistic". Do you want to back off or not, mate?

MR HUMPHRIES (Chief Minister, Minister for Community Affairs and Treasurer): Mr Speaker, I can respond. I would never have asserted that Mr Quinlan had said the surpluses were impossible. I did say that he cast considerable doubt on them. I said that I believed he had used a word like "fantasy"; I did not say he actually said "fantasy". I said "a phrase like fantasy, or words to that effect". I have now quoted exactly what Mr Quinlan said, which was that he thought they were "optimistic".

Mr Quinlan: Bit different.

MR HUMPHRIES: It is not; it is the same thing.

Mr Quinlan: You are very loose in this place, mate.

MR SPEAKER: Order! I do not want a debate on this, thank you.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Quinlan was saying that he did not believe the surpluses would be achievable. I have quoted him from the Canberra Times, which demonstrates exactly what he said.

Papers

MR HUMPHRIES: For the information of members, I present the following paper:

Interim Report of the Board of Inquiry into disability services in the Australian Capital Territory relating to the death of Brett Ponting- Questions concerning publication-Memorandum of advice from Peter Johnson SC, dated 15 June 2001.

We undertook to provide that advice some time ago in conjunction with the interim finding of the Gallop inquiry.

I also present the following papers:

Remuneration Tribunal Act, pursuant to section 12-Part-time holders of public offices-Essential Services Consumer Council-Determination No 90, together with a statement dated 3 July 2001.

Public Sector Management Act, pursuant to sections 31A and 79-Copies of executive contracts or instruments-

Long-term contracts:

Penny Gregory, dated 3 July 2001.

Peter Stainlay, dated 18 June 2001.

Colin Adrian, dated 18 June 2001.

Simon Holtby, dated 30 June 2001.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .