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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 3575 ..

Wednesday, 29 August 2001

MR SPEAKER (Mr Cornwell) took the chair at 10.30 am and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

Territory Owned Corporations Amendment Bill 2001

Mr Berry , pursuant to notice, presented the bill.

Title read by Clerk.

MR BERRY (10.33): I move:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

Members will be aware of my abiding interest in all matters relating to jobs and industrial relations. Part of that interest is my commitment to a strong and viable public sector. Over the last 61/2 years I have scrutinised and challenged the Liberals' moves-the contracting out and the stripping of the public sector work force. That commitment has led to my closely examining all things related to Totalcare. We have tried on a number of occasions in this Assembly to stop the government transferring workers to Totalcare in preparation for the contracting out of their jobs. After all, these are still loyal workers and many of them are still in Totalcare facing redundancy payouts because of this policy.

As part of my commitment, I supported the amendment of my colleague Simon Corbell to ensure that, under the Territory Owned Corporations Act 1990, the territory's assets cannot be sold off without the approval of the Assembly. You can imagine my surprise when, exploring the issue of Williamsdale quarry, I came up with a can of worms-evidence that this government was still unable to understand due process and the accountability required of government by the Assembly.

This government has learned nothing from the tragic hospital implosion, the Bruce Stadium fiasco or its attempt to sell off Actew. When I dared ask questions, all I got was a stream of abuse from this mean-spirited Chief Minister, who had been caught out. I never got the answers. As late as yesterday, the government was still avoiding answering my direct questions.

Mr Moore: You got the stream of abuse from a mean-spirited-

MR BERRY: You are associated with them, Mr Moore. You like them these days. You have crossed the great divide. You are one of them, mate-notwithstanding all of your pretence-the great, old, well-off, middle-class bloke who has joined the Liberals. And who is surprised? I mean the great left-of-centre advocate for the downtrodden, Michael Moore. What a joke. In up to his neck with the Liberals. Mr Speaker, I can do better with Michael Moore when he interjects than you can. Look, he has gone.

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