Page 3531 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 15 November 2006
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Supplementary answer to question without notice
Arts funding
MR STANHOPE: Mr Speaker, I took a question from Mr Mulcahy yesterday in relation to a response to issues in relation to allocation of arts funding. I have provided a copy of that response to Mr Mulcahy.
Mr Mulcahy: You sent it to me as chairman of estimates.
MR STANHOPE: Is that the difficulty?
Mr Mulcahy: I am happy to take the job, but I—
MR STANHOPE: I present the following paper:
Arts funding—budget 2006-2007—copy of letter from the Minister for the Arts to Mr Mulcahy, undated—answer to question taken on notice from Mr Mulcahy on 14 November 2006.
Temporary Deputy Speaker
Statement by Speaker
MR SPEAKER: Pursuant to standing order 8 I revoke the nomination of Mrs Burke as Temporary Deputy Speaker and thank her for her contribution to the chair, and nominate Mrs Dunne. I present the following warrant of revocation of nomination:
Emergencies Amendment Bill 2006
Debate resumed.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (3.18): Just to summarise and put this all in context again, what we have got is a weak minister who has been captured by his department. What we have got is a minister who is not able to say to people, “Let’s get our priorities straight. Let’s deliver something good for the volunteers here. Let’s make sure we have got the focus on what is real.” Instead, we have been presented with a weak case, hiding behind legal argument and doing it because the department and the lawyers said so, and what we have is an incredibly poor outcome for the volunteers.
What the volunteers told Mr Corbell and Ms Leon, the head of the department, is that the legislative change proposed by Mr Pratt is still the best option. That is what they want. What they are saying about this bill that Mr Pratt, without an entire department behind him like the minister has, was able to come up with in quick time and put on the table—and it has been there for a month—is, “Instead of opposing it, minister, accept what Mr Pratt is saying. Give us back our bank accounts, give us control of what we do, let us get on with the job of being volunteers and protecting the people of the ACT, and get out of our way.”
But, no, we have got a minister who is just running the script that the department has provided. He has not provided one constructive argument as to why this bill should not go ahead today. Indeed, he said, “The FMA is for moneys managed by the
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