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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 12 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 4365 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

Now, let us go to the process itself. The proposal is to investigate land tax concessions for landlords. Now, did anybody that wants to propose or support this bother to think through and say, "Would that work, with whatever experience I do have?"or "I might go and ask somebody who has some experience". "Could this actually work? Would it be in any way a practicable solution, or do I not give a damn-as I do not give a damn as to the workload that I put on administrators? Who cares? That's all they're there for."It is directionless. What are you going to do when you get that report? You are going to have to examine the question all over again.

What if they take, in the investigation, the wrong turn on day 1? What if some of our enlightened administrators believe, as I do, that it is a daft proposal in the first place?

Mrs Cross: He said it again-daft.

MR QUINLAN: Yes. Daft, daft, daft-how's that? I am happy with that. So you are asking administrators to make qualitative decisions along the way, to put some proposal together. You have got to form your own proposals. That is what you are here for.

Mr Pratt: Don't get excited.

MR QUINLAN: I am just trying to make a point. I just thought that, once in my life, having sat in this place and been frustrated by what I view as the dumbing down of this place, I might just say so once. And with this proposal, even the proponent has got no idea whether it is likely to work or not. It was "sort of kinda, it might make a start". Let me tell you, we have an administration that works very hard. We have an administration that does not have an inexhaustible array of resources that can absorb something like this-which could be any size. You have your job. Do your job. Do not come in here and say, "Let me get my name in the paper, because I care and I have a heart. I'll write this. I'll stand up and say 'I don't know whether it'll work,' but I'll leave others to clean up the mess."

This is-I can't think of any other word-an entirely daft proposition, and just the sort of proposition that I expect you lot to vote for. I move the following amendment:

MRS CROSS (6.05): Firstly I wanted to congratulate Ms Dundas for raising what is an extremely important issue. The affordable housing issue in the ACT is a serious matter, and I think she should be commended for bringing it on as a motion in this place, contrary to the minister's ridiculous comments, because they can only be classified as ridiculous. Mr Corbell described them earlier as grandstanding-which is really not like you, Ted.

Mr Quinlan: Sometimes, when it gets this bad. This is bad-bad administration.

MRS CROSS: Yes, I know, it is a hard day. I think that we need to ignore the terms "corrupting process", "daft, daft, daft"and "dumbing down"because sometimes, as

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