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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 01 Hansard (Wednesday, 11 February 2004) . . Page.. 192 ..

The fact is that you knew about it just as well as I knew about it. We had two bites of the cherry. We had the press release come into our offices and we sat on the Estimates Committee. It was there in black and white. I ask you: if you think it is such a big issue now, how come you did not go and tell these people back in August? Because you did not think it was an issue then.

Mr Smyth: We were waiting for the plans like everybody else.

MR HARGREAVES: You did not think it was an issue then any more than I did. No-one ever considers that things are a big issue unless a number of people come and give it to you. Okay? The fact is that a number of people came to you and said this was an issue. Fine. I have got no problem with that.

Mrs Cross: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I think Mr Hargreaves should be directing his comments through you and not to the opposition.

MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mrs Cross.

MR HARGREAVES: I respect Mrs Cross’s position, and it is confusing to know which one of the members of the opposition I have to talk to.

Mrs Dunne: You’re not supposed to talk to any of us.

MR HARGREAVES: There’s another one.

MR SPEAKER: Members of the opposition should cease their interjections. If you want to throw disorderly barbs across the chamber, you are likely to provoke some disorderly barbs back. Just remain silent while Mr Hargreaves concludes.

MR HARGREAVES: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. This is not a sneaky process. The minister has changed the process in response to representations from Mr Wood, Ms MacDonald and me after we got an idea of the community’s concern about this issue. We have had no representation from Mr Pratt, such as, “Let’s talk together as members for Brindabella on this.” That sort of thing happens quite regularly with other people on other issues, but it did not happen this time.

Mr Pratt: Because I saw the plans after Christmas.

MR HARGREAVES: I should get another extension of time to take up the minute you guys have wasted. This is not a sneaky process; it has been open. Consider this timeline: the meeting was held on the Thursday, I undertook to do something on the Friday, I did something on the Friday and on the Saturday things had changed and the press release was put out. Tomorrow, Australia Post willing, there will be a letter in everybody’s letterbox in Macarthur and Fadden from Ms MacDonald, Mr Wood and me, outlining as best we can what the process is.

I do not call that a sneaky process. It has been out there, obvious and in your face. If people do not like that process, that is fine. But don’t tell us that it has been sneaky, because it has not. If anyone has been sneaky about this it has been that ringmaster over

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