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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 3640 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

THE CHAIRMAN: Because I understood, initially, that the overall capital cost was going to be 150 million, right, as opposed to 173.

And from there it went on. For the information of Mr Quinlan, who does not appear to be interested any longer, there are many things that TransACT is doing which are not directly involved with the rollout of their broadband cables. For example, it may surprise members to know that Mrs Carnell, the former Chief Minister, is not out there in Kambah at the moment digging ditches and laying cable along ditches. People who are organising finance for the deal are not involved directly in the rollout. They are involved in other aspects of the venture.

Mr Berry: What about the building to put them in?

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The manager of opposition business will come to order. You do not need to come into this argument. We are trying to move through the business.

Mr Berry: I take a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. The next time the Chief Minister sits over there interjecting on people on this side, I hope you apply the same rules to him.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

MR HUMPHRIES: The question was asked-

Mr Quinlan: I have heard some Gary-ing, but this is getting bad.

MR HUMPHRIES: Do not rely on my word for it, Mr Quinlan. Take the word-

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Chief Minister! Address the chair, if you would.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I am being interjected upon.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Address the chair.

MR HUMPHRIES: I will not respond to any interjections. I do not expect members to take my word for what the total cost of the rollout is. I ask that the word of Mr Perkins be relied upon in this matter. You people asked for the total cost of the TransACT venture. TransACT is not involved in just rolling out cable. It is doing other things as well.

When it was asserted in this place that I had misled people by suggesting that the total cost of TransACT's rollout was only $200 million, when in fact it was $230 million, or-to quote Mr Quinlan from yesterday-considerably higher than $200 million, that is not the case. I have never asserted that the TransACT rollout was any more than $230 million, because it was not-at least, it is not at this stage, on the best estimates of TransACT.

Mr Berry: Not at this stage, but it will be.

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