Page 2188 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 August 2006
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In chapter 8 of our report we outline three matters of grave concern. The first I have discussed: the second in-camera hearing. We think something should be done about this submission. There are serious allegations and, to the best of our knowledge, the matter is not being handled adequately. Ms Porter offered to get briefings from the minister for Mr Pratt and me. She was told that that would happen but they never happened. Mary, I thank you for your efforts. I know that you were genuine; others were not.
The other two matters concern Mr Corbell and his behaviour over the EpiCentre and Dr Harrison. We believe Mr Corbell should apologise to the Assembly for his behaviour in the whole EpiCentre fiasco and table all the documents that he has so that we can get a clear picture of what actually occurred. In regard to Dr Harrison, we believe that Mr Corbell has abused his position as a minister and the privilege of the committee and he should apologise. If he does not, we would recommend that the committee take action. I would like to say thank you to the committee staff for helping us put this report together.
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (5.32): I also want to speak about the estimates committee process. I want to preface my remarks by saying that probably 90 per cent of that process was very much in order. As Ms Porter mentioned—and I will take her word for this—we met probably more than any other estimates committee. On the whole, our meetings were very congenial and we often had consensus. Any rejection of people’s words, points or recommendations was generally taken in good spirit. I think we have heard from Mr Smyth the nub of his and Mr Pratt’s concerns. They certainly pushed a lot of those concerns in the knowledge that the rest of the committee probably would not accede to them. However, that is their role and it did make for some robust discussion, and I think robust discussion is quite appropriate in the estimates committee process.
I want to thank my staff for the long hours they worked. There is no way I could have examined the whole of the budget and got to know it as I did without their work in thoroughly examining the four budget documents and all the related papers. I thank them for their personal and physical support of me through the long weeks of estimates, because it is a very wearing process. I remember Roslyn Dundas saying to me that you really have to look after your health during estimates because if you are going to get a cold that is when you will get it. Last year I did not get a cold, but this year I did, and there is not really a lot you can do about that, especially when there is no-one else who can turn up for you at a meeting.
I also want to thank Sandra Lilburn who I think showed evidence of having amazing calmness, which is so suitable for an estimates committee secretary.
I want to say also that the process of examination of the budget through the estimates committee is one that I respect. I relinquished this year the opportunity to attend a United Nations conference on housing and urban design, known as the UN conference on habitat, in Canada—a conference for which I had Mr Speaker’s approval to attend. In the end, I decided that I could not really afford to miss a week of hearings if I was really going to participate properly in the estimates process. I put a lot into it and I do not think there really should be any surprises in my additional remarks. I believe that what I have said is entirely consistent with everything that I have said since this budget was tabled in
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