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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (6 June) . . Page.. 2020 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

If the rollout of TransACT were to be accelerated back to the rate that they seemed to start out on and wished they could meet, we are not talking in terms of the level of incentive a government might be able to give them, whether it is a payroll tax break or even cash money. You are talking tens of millions of dollars-it is not peanuts. As you would appreciate, I am sure, the rollout of a broadband-a physical system that connects to each house in the ACT-is a very, very expensive proposition.

The sum total of it now is $200-and-something million, or whatever-that is what it is going to be in the longer term. There is just no way that the government could come to-

Mrs Cross: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: relevance. I asked a question, I do not want a history. If I wanted a bibliography and a history, I could have made an appointment and seen him another time. The question was very simple, and this is not a relevant answer to my question.

The question was: has the ACT government been approached by TransACT for an offer of assistance, or considered offering a similar style of assistance, and if so, what was your response?

MR QUINLAN: In response to the point of order, Mr Speaker: I would suggest to Mrs Cross that she actually reads the standing orders and comes to terms with them and not stand up and say, "I don't like your answer, therefore I am raising a point of order." Your point of order was: "I don't like the answer I'm getting." You are getting an answer that says to you, "It is a dumb question." I am trying to be polite about it, but it was a dumb question.

Mrs Cross: I do not think anyone could accuse you of being polite, Mr Quinlan.

MR QUINLAN: Well, I was being more polite than I am now prepared to be.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mrs Cross, order! Mr Quinlan! I draw your attention to standing order 118 and, in particular, 118 (a). I am sure you were coming to the point of the question.

Mr Humphries: That is the point she was making-relevance.

Mrs Cross: Relevance.

MR QUINLAN: It is all relevant.

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Cross, can I say this to you: often you get answers in this place that do not make you happy.

Mrs Cross: Mr Speaker, it had nothing to do with being happy or not happy. It is simply a question. Standing orders permit me to bring a point of order if I am not getting an answer to a question. May I ask my supplementary question?

MR SPEAKER: Yes, certainly.

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